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All the Scandals Involving Netanyahu, and Where They Stand
Sara's looming indictment, German subs affair, bribery suspicions and trusted Netanyahu associates have you confused? Here's a breakdown of each of the investigations
Judy Maltz Sep 05, 2017 2:28 AM
The first indictment in a series of scandals threatening the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears imminent.
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit is expected to bring fraud charges against Sara Netanyahu, the wife of the Israeli leader, for unlawfully accepting 400,000 shekels ($111,850) in goods. She is suspected of ordering catered chef’s meals for the prime minister’s official residence in defiance of regulations. Sarah Netanyahu has denied the allegations, instead blaming the former chief caretaker of the prime minister’s residence, Meni Naftali, for the inflated expenses that were discovered. But police reportedly have evidence that the practice began before Naftali assumed his position at the official residence and continued after he left.
The driving force behind a new grassroots movement aimed at toppling Netanyahu, Naftali has already sued the prime minister’s wife for treating him and other household staff abusively. He won the case and prevailed in an appeal.
New details have also been revealed in recent days in two other cases connected to the prime minister. “Case 3000,” also known as the “Submarine Affair,” involves allegations of bribery in a more-than-billion-dollar submarine deal between Israel and Germany. On Sunday, Netanyahu’s former bureau chief David Sharan was detained on suspicions of taking bribes in the case.
“Case 2000” involves allegations that Netanyahu tried to strike a deal that would have provided him with positive coverage in Israel’s second largest newspaper in exchange for hurting its freebie rival, Israel Hayom. The prime minister has long played down reports of his overriding influence on Israel Hayom, a pro-Netanyahu newspaper founded and financed by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, but phone logs released this week of his conversations with the newspaper’s editor-in-chief suggest otherwise. By matching up the dates of the phone calls with headlines that appeared in the newspaper, Channel 10 reporter Raviv Drucker was able to show circumstantial evidence of Netanyahu’s influence on various headlines.
These are not the only investigations that could threaten Netanyahu’s reign of power. Here is a review of recent developments in the various corruption cases that could potentially bring him down.
Case 1000
This investigation involves allegations that Netanyahu, his wife Sara and their son Yair received lavish gifts from two wealthy businessmen: Israeli-born Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. Netanyahu and his wife Sara allegedly received regular shipments of expensive cigars and champagne, worth hundreds of thousands of shekels, from Milchan. It has also been reported that Milchan bought Netanyahu’s wife an expensive piece of jewelry.
Netanyahu has insisted these gifts were nothing more than tokens of friendship and no favors were provided to Milchan in return. Packer has allegedly lavished gifts on Netanyahu’s son Yair, including free flights and hotel rooms. Netanyahu, his wife and son – along along with Milchan and Packer – have all already been questioned by police in the case. Netanyahu was named a suspect in this case
last month. The prime minister’s bureau has responded that the allegations are “unfounded.”
Case 2000
This probe involves allegations that Netanyahu was willing to sell out Israel Hayom to obtain favorable coverage in Yedioth Ahronoth, a newspaper known to be critical of him. The deal would have cut the circulation potential of Israel Hayom, which since its founding has replaced Yedioth Ahronoth as the country’s largest circulating newspaper.
Last month, a former Netanyahu aide signed an agreement to serve as state’s witness in this case. In exchange for testifying against Netanyahu, American-born Ari Harow, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, will avoid jail time in a separate case.
Some of the conversations between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes were recorded on Harow’s smartphone, which was confiscated by police while they were investigating the other case against him. Harow is believed to have been intensely involved in the negotiations between Netanyahu and Mozes. His agreement to testify against Netanyahu, therefore, greatly strengthens the possibility of an indictment in this case.
Netanyahu has long claimed that he was not serious about the offer to Mozes and was simply trying to test the publisher. According to a recent Channel Two report broadcast, Adelson told Israeli police investigators that Netanyahu had tried to persuade him to withdraw plans for weekend supplements at Israel Hayom. That would indicate that Netanyahu was indeed intent upon reaching a deal with Mozes. Netanyahu was named a suspect in the case as well last month. The prime minister’s bureau has responded that the allegations are “unfounded.”
...}
All the Scandals Involving Netanyahu, and Where They Stand
Sara's looming indictment, German subs affair, bribery suspicions and trusted Netanyahu associates have you confused? Here's a breakdown of each of the investigations
Judy Maltz Sep 05, 2017 2:28 AM
The first indictment in a series of scandals threatening the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears imminent.
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit is expected to bring fraud charges against Sara Netanyahu, the wife of the Israeli leader, for unlawfully accepting 400,000 shekels ($111,850) in goods. She is suspected of ordering catered chef’s meals for the prime minister’s official residence in defiance of regulations. Sarah Netanyahu has denied the allegations, instead blaming the former chief caretaker of the prime minister’s residence, Meni Naftali, for the inflated expenses that were discovered. But police reportedly have evidence that the practice began before Naftali assumed his position at the official residence and continued after he left.
The driving force behind a new grassroots movement aimed at toppling Netanyahu, Naftali has already sued the prime minister’s wife for treating him and other household staff abusively. He won the case and prevailed in an appeal.
New details have also been revealed in recent days in two other cases connected to the prime minister. “Case 3000,” also known as the “Submarine Affair,” involves allegations of bribery in a more-than-billion-dollar submarine deal between Israel and Germany. On Sunday, Netanyahu’s former bureau chief David Sharan was detained on suspicions of taking bribes in the case.
“Case 2000” involves allegations that Netanyahu tried to strike a deal that would have provided him with positive coverage in Israel’s second largest newspaper in exchange for hurting its freebie rival, Israel Hayom. The prime minister has long played down reports of his overriding influence on Israel Hayom, a pro-Netanyahu newspaper founded and financed by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, but phone logs released this week of his conversations with the newspaper’s editor-in-chief suggest otherwise. By matching up the dates of the phone calls with headlines that appeared in the newspaper, Channel 10 reporter Raviv Drucker was able to show circumstantial evidence of Netanyahu’s influence on various headlines.
These are not the only investigations that could threaten Netanyahu’s reign of power. Here is a review of recent developments in the various corruption cases that could potentially bring him down.
Case 1000
This investigation involves allegations that Netanyahu, his wife Sara and their son Yair received lavish gifts from two wealthy businessmen: Israeli-born Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. Netanyahu and his wife Sara allegedly received regular shipments of expensive cigars and champagne, worth hundreds of thousands of shekels, from Milchan. It has also been reported that Milchan bought Netanyahu’s wife an expensive piece of jewelry.
Netanyahu has insisted these gifts were nothing more than tokens of friendship and no favors were provided to Milchan in return. Packer has allegedly lavished gifts on Netanyahu’s son Yair, including free flights and hotel rooms. Netanyahu, his wife and son – along along with Milchan and Packer – have all already been questioned by police in the case. Netanyahu was named a suspect in this case
last month. The prime minister’s bureau has responded that the allegations are “unfounded.”
Case 2000
This probe involves allegations that Netanyahu was willing to sell out Israel Hayom to obtain favorable coverage in Yedioth Ahronoth, a newspaper known to be critical of him. The deal would have cut the circulation potential of Israel Hayom, which since its founding has replaced Yedioth Ahronoth as the country’s largest circulating newspaper.
Last month, a former Netanyahu aide signed an agreement to serve as state’s witness in this case. In exchange for testifying against Netanyahu, American-born Ari Harow, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, will avoid jail time in a separate case.
Some of the conversations between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes were recorded on Harow’s smartphone, which was confiscated by police while they were investigating the other case against him. Harow is believed to have been intensely involved in the negotiations between Netanyahu and Mozes. His agreement to testify against Netanyahu, therefore, greatly strengthens the possibility of an indictment in this case.
Netanyahu has long claimed that he was not serious about the offer to Mozes and was simply trying to test the publisher. According to a recent Channel Two report broadcast, Adelson told Israeli police investigators that Netanyahu had tried to persuade him to withdraw plans for weekend supplements at Israel Hayom. That would indicate that Netanyahu was indeed intent upon reaching a deal with Mozes. Netanyahu was named a suspect in the case as well last month. The prime minister’s bureau has responded that the allegations are “unfounded.”
...}
