BICOM

Israel’s Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, is today expected to announce his decision to indict Prime Minister Netanyahu, subject to a hearing.

Sources in the Israeli Justice Ministry have told Israeli media that Mandelblit will indict Netanyahu in Case 4000 on charges of bribery, in which Netanyahu is alleged to have approved favourable regulations to benefit Shaul Elovitch, the owner of telecoms company Bezeq, in exchange for positive media coverage from Elovitch’s Walla news website. Netanyahu will also be indicted for fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000, in which he is alleged to have accepted gifts in return for favours. It is not yet clear what charges Netanyahu will face in Case 2000, in which the Prime Minister allegedly discussed receiving more favourable media coverage with the owner of the newspaper Yediot Ahronot in return for restricting circulation of Israel Hayom, a free newspaper owned by Sheldon Adelson.

After the announcement, Netanyahu’s lawyers will be entitled to a hearing with the prosecution and this will be followed by the Attorney General’s final decision. The case will then go to the district court. Netanyahu will be able to appeal to the Supreme Court. The entire legal process could take two years.

Netanyahu’s attorneys sent a letter to the Attorney General demanding that, contrary to normal procedures, the investigative material, as well as the decision about a hearing, is not released until after the elections. This is vital, Netanyahu’s attorneys say, to ensure sensitive information is not used for political purposes by other parties.

A briefing published by BICOM sets out the detail of the legal and political process once the Attorney General has announced his decision. Netanyahu is legally entitled to contest the 9 April election and, if successful, to attempt to form a Government. Three key moments will decide Netanyahu’s fate: whether he can form a coalition following the election; the Attorney General’s final decision following a hearing; and the district court’s verdict in the criminal trial. At each stage the question will be whether he can maintain a governing coalition. Click on the link to read the full briefing.