Amended indictment filed against Netanyahu, detailing over 200 coverage demands

Prosecutors file an amended indictment in the corruption cases against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after the Jerusalem District Court accepted a demand by the premier’s lawyers that the original indictment lacked important details.

The court had ordered the state to clearly distinguish Netanyahu from his wife and kids in the charge sheet, and detail a list of instances in which the premier allegedly made requests from tycoon Shaul Elovitch for favorable changes of coverage in the Elovitch-owned Walla news site, in an alleged bribery deal between the two that included regulatory benefits.

The detailed list includes 315 incidents related to 230 specific requests to change Walla’s coverage in favor of Netanyahu and his family.

Prosecutors say there are indications that the prime minister himself was personally involved in some 150 of the demands.

The alleged demands include changing the wording of articles to be more favorable toward Netanyahu, extending the airtime and prominence of positive stories, deleting or editing headlines that were unfavorable, publishing more negative stories about political rivals, and refraining from publishing an interview conducted with Netanyahu.