The United States and Israel have a tendency to celebrate “firsts”, and these “firsts” can be good or bad things. In something that is a “first” in Israel, for the first time, the sitting Israeli Prime Minister and veritable beloved of many American Evangelical Boomers, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been indicted on three charges of public corruption.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Tuesday filed the indictment against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust with the Jerusalem District Court.
“The indictment was filed a short time ago… as is required by law,” Mandelblit’s office said.
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According to the text of the indictment, released by the Justice Ministry in November, Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust in Cases 1000 and 2000, and bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000.
The filing of charges came hours after Netanyahu announced Tuesday morning that he was withdrawing his request for parliamentary immunity from the pending indictment in the corruption cases against him.
Netanyahu’s announcement came hours before the Knesset was set to form a committee to debate — and almost certainly reject — his immunity request.
In a Facebook post, the premier denounced the “immunity circus” taking place while he was in Washington on a “historic mission.” (source)