Netanyahu’s lawyers could present new evidence to avoid prosecution, but the attorney general’s announcement could sway some voters.
Israel’s attorney general announced on Thursday that he plans to charge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, in a move that could upset the upcoming Israeli elections in April.
The charges will likely be pressed following a pretrial hearing that will take place shortly after the Israeli elections on April 9, and there is still a possibility that Netanyahu’s lawyers could present new evidence to avoid prosecution. But the attorney general’s announcement could sway some voters.
Representatives of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party accused Israel’s top court of allowing opponents of the prime minister to meddle in the elections. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit was appointed by Netanyahu, but experts have long argued that Mandelblit is an independent jurist who will make fair decisions based on the evidence. For many observers, his decision to charge Netanyahu confirmed that reputation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, on February 17.
