Global Geopolitical Series: Political crisis brews in Israel as police recommend indictment against Netanyahu over bribery scandal

A political crisis could be raging in Israel as the Israeli police on Tuesday night recommended indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ‘bribery’ and ‘breach of trust’in two separate cases. After a long 14-month investigation the Israeli police announced that it found enough evidence to recommend the state’s prosecution to indict Netanyahu for bribery and breach of trust in Case 1000, the “gifts affair" and Case 2000, the "Yediot Aharanot Affair."

In Case 1000, which is widely known as the “gifts affair,” it is alleged that Netanyahu improperly accepted expensive gifts from different businessmen. In Case 2000, widely known as the “Yediot Aharonot affair,” Netanyahu allegedly negotiated with publisher Arnon “Noni” Mozes for favorable coverage of himself in Yediot Aharonot in exchange for support of a bill to weaken Israel Hayom, the largest circulation Hebrew-language paper, and Yediot’s biggest competitor.

According to reports in the local media, the Police also recommended indicting Mozes and Hollywood film producer Arnon Milchan, who is among those alleged to have given Netanyahu expensive gifts as bribes.

While the recommendation doesn’t take down Netanyahu immediately but it creates a political uncertainty ahead of next year’s election. The law says that only after peremptory Supreme Court verdict which means that an appeal was submitted and rejected, the prime minister must resign from office.

However, Mr. Prime Minister as remain defiant as ever despite the recommendations made. Netanyahu, speaking in a televised statement following the announcement, said he will continue to lead Israel responsibly and faithfully and insisted that nothing will come of the baseless cases against him.

The crisis brews at a critical time as President Trump of the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and a peace talk is set to begin soon.