Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Charged With Fraud, Bribery, Breach of Trust
New Delhi : A series of corruption charges have been formally indicted on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the Attorney General.
The charges announced by Attorney Gen Avichai Mandelblit included bribery, breach of trust, and fraud. However, Benjamin Netanyahu has denied all the allegations, comparing the investigation on corruption to a 'witch-hunt'. He also claimed it to be a stint by political rivals to put him out of his office.
Under the current allegations, there will be no urgent requirement of him to step down from the post, but this will put him under additional pressure to step down. He has been alleged of receiving expensive gifts from foreign leaders to sign deals and take favourable media coverage.
According to several media reports, the Israeli Prime Minister has accepted thousands of dollars worth champagne and cigars from his rich friends, traded favours with a newspaper publisher to influence his news coverage on a popular media site.
PM Netanyahu will address the nation on the case on Friday night, local time.
Israel's political system has been paralyzed since the closely-fought election on September 17, in which no party won enough votes to form a majority coalition in the 120-seat parliament. The recent elections marked the second time Israelis cast their votes in five months.
