The Israel Police recommended indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara on bribery, fraud and breach-of-public trust charges on Sunday in the corruption investigation known as Case 4000.
This is the most important of the three police investigations against the prime minister, and has the potential to eventually bring down his government.
Police also recommended indicting former Bezeq and Walla! owner Shaul Elovitch, his wife Iris and a range of other top Bezeq officials.
The decision to publish the recommendations from the investigation came on Roni Alsheich's final day as commissioner of the the Israel Police.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit gave his permission for the publication of the recommendations and will make the final decision on whether to indict Netanyahu.
"The police recommendations have no legal standing," Netanyahu said in response to Sunday's announcement. "But they are not surprising."
"I am sure that, even in this case, the relevant authorities, after examining the matter, will reach the same conclusion: that there will be nothing because there was nothing," Netanyahu added.
"I am sure that, even in this case, the relevant authorities, after examining the matter, will reach the same conclusion: that there will be nothing because there was nothing," Netanyahu added.
There are two premises to Case 4000 against Netanyahu: The first premise is that Netanyahu fired Communications Ministry director-general Avi Berger and hired his loyalist and ex-campaign manager Shlomo Filber to ensure that the government favored Shaul Elovitch's interests in Bezeq.
The second premise is that in exchange for the positive treatment to Bezeq, Elovitch directed the online news site Walla! which he owned to give Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, favorable media coverage. This was arranged through Elovitch, his wife, former top Netanyahu aide Nir Hefetz, and some of Elovitch’s top Walla employees.
This could constitute bribery if the prosecution succeeds in proving that Netanyahu set government policies to increase monetary profits for Elovitch in exchange for positive media coverage.
The police recommendations on Sunday appeared to take the most severe view of the prime minister's actions.
The Jerusalem Post reported in June that Mandelblit was likely to file a bribery indictment against Netanyahu in Case 4000, though his decision may not be handed down until early Spring 2019.
Citing insufficient evidence, police recommended closing the case against Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister's son, who had originally been mentioned as a suspect in the case.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
