Police: Sufficient evidence to indict #Netanyahu in #Case_4000
▻https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5418366,00.html
Shaul Elovitch and Prime Minister Netanyahu
Photo: EPA, Yuval Chen
The Israel Police announced Sunday morning that there is sufficient evidence to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, which deals with suspected corruption tied to telecommunications giant Bezeq and the Walla! News website.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is suspected of taking bribes and acting in a conflict of interest by promoted regulations worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Bezeq and its majority shareholder Shaul Elovitch, including Bezeq’s merger with the satellite TV company Yes. In return, the prime minister allegedly demanded—both directly and indirectly—to receive favorable coverage on Walla! News, which is owned by Bezeq.
Police have already recommended indicting Netanyahu on #corruption charges in two other cases. One involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a newspaper in return for positive coverage.
All three cases now await the decision of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who is the only one authorized to order the investigation or indictment of a sitting prime minister.
The Bezeq case, known as Case 4000, is the most serious of all those of which Netanyahu has been accused. Two of his top confidants have turned state witnesses and are believed to have provided police with incriminating evidence. Netanyahu held the government’s communications portfolio until last year and oversaw regulation in the field.
Police say the investigation, which included the testimony of 60 witnesses, revealed that Netanyahu and Bezeq boss Shaul Elovitch engaged in a “bribe-based relationship.”
