Dozens rally against corruption after police recommend Netanyahu’s indictment
Small counter-protest also held by premier’s supporters outside PM’s Residence, with turnout at both demonstrations likely dampened by rain
Dozens of protesters rallied Saturday near Attorney General Avichai Mandeblit’s in Petah Tikva against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following police’s recommendation earlier this week that Netanyahu be indicted in a pair of corruption cases.
Turnout out at the weekly protest was notably muted compared to previous demonstrations, likely owing to the rainy weather.
In Jerusalem, dozens of Netanyahu supporters gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in a show of support for the premier, waving the national flag of Israel and banners of Netanyahu’s Likud party. Netanyahu is overseas, at a security conference in Munich, Germany.
The weekly demonstration near Mandelblit’s home, which has taken place every Saturday evening since December 2016, was the first since police on Tuesday recommended Netanyahu be indicted for fraud, breach of trust, and bribery in the investigations, known as cases 1000 and 2000.
In Case 1000, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are alleged to have received illicit gifts from billionaire benefactors, most notably the Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, totaling NIS 1 million ($282,000).
In return, Netanyahu is alleged by police to have intervened on Milchan’s behalf in matters relating to legislation, business dealings, and visa arrangements.
Case 2000 involves a suspected illicit quid pro quo deal between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper publisher Arnon Mozes, that would have seen the prime minister weaken a rival daily, the Sheldon Adelson-backed Israel Hayom, in return for more favorable coverage from Yedioth.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
Saturday’s protests come after around a thousand people demonstrated against corruption in Tel Aviv on Friday.
The protesters called on Netanyahu to step down, carrying banners reading ‘Crime Minister’ and ‘Bye bye Bibi’ — a common nickname for the Israeli leader.
The crowd chanted “Liar! Liar!” when one speaker sarcastically repeated Netanyahu’s common refrain about the allegations that “there will be nothing because there is nothing.”
Mandelblit, a Netanyahu appointee who has been accused by protesters of slow-walking the probes, on Thursday hailed police investigators and the quality of the work they did during the year-long investigation.
“These investigations were done according to the book, precisely in the way you would expect of law enforcement authorities handling a case like this — professionally, thoroughly, resourcefully, smartly, with a determination to establish the truth,” he told a conference at Tel Aviv University.
“I hear efforts to suggest a rift between the police, the prosecution, and the Attorney General’s office,” he said, referring to TV reports on Wednesday that claimed state prosecutors believe the police did not have enough evidence to justify some of the charges they recommended be brought against Netanyahu on Tuesday, and that the case had been wrapped up prematurely.
Plainly, reports asserting such frictions were the unfounded product of efforts to try to manufacture divisions and frictions, said Mandelblit.
“We have worked together with full cooperation to turn over every stone and to bring the truth to light,” Mandelblit said. “I recommend being very skeptical about reports of rifts and tension between the various law enforcement bodies.”
He vowed to ignore “all the background noise” and focus solely on establishing the truth.
AFP contributed to this report.
