JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general on Thursday formally charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases, throwing the country’s paralyzed political system into further disarray and threatening the long-time leader’s grip on power.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three different scandals. It is the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister has been charged with a crime. Mandelblit was set to issue a formal statement later Thursday.
Allegations against Netanyahu include suspicions he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of champagne and cigars from billionaire friends, offered to trade favors with a newspaper publisher and used his influence to help a wealthy telecom magnate in exchange for favorable coverage on a popular news site.
Popular GOP Gov. Brian Kemp announces whether he’ll run for Senate in battleground Georgia
‘Total Whackjobs’: Trump Goes Off on Democrats’ Latest Impeachment Shenanigans with Lengthy Post
‘Use a chair’: Jasmine Crockett invokes 2023 Montgomery brawl in college speech
‘I’ll Be an Eight-Year President’: Trump Addresses Whether He’ll Serve a Third Term
Trump foreign movie tariff move comes after Rob Lowe warned of ‘criminal’ costs of filming in California
Rwanda ‘in discussions’ with US to receive deported migrants: report
‘MOGE’ audit uncovers nonprofits’ ‘incredibly wasteful’ spending of taxpayer funds: state official
Ex-Obama Aide Says He ‘Had Real Concerns’ About Biden — But Was Still OK with Him Being in Charge
Animal Illness and Die-Off Rocks US Coast, Sea Animals Falling Into Seizures or Attacking Swimmers
Glendale, Arizona, shooting inside restaurant leaves 3 dead, 5 injured, police say
Foreign Government Threatens to Use $1 Trillion in US Treasury Holdings as Leverage in Trade Negotiations
EXCLUSIVE: Cornyn bringing bill to enshrine Trump EO renaming refuge after Jocelyn Nungaray into law
Real ID is about to go into effect. Here’s how it may impact voting
Some Lives Don’t Matter
Trump plots Alcatraz comeback and more top headlines
The indictment does not require Netanyahu to resign but is expected to raise pressure on him to step down.
Netanyahu has called the allegations part of a witch hunt, lashing out against the media, police, prosecutors and the justice system.
Netanyahu was scheduled to issue a statement later Thursday.
Story cited here.
