Netanyahu blasts ‘systematic political persecution’ against him

Standing alongside Putin, Netanyahu says allegations that he received money illicitly from a Frenchman accused of fraud are part of a concerted campaign to oust him from power.

He terms it, along with a growing number of other recent instances where his integrity has been questioned, “systematic political persecution” and “false accusations” by people who failed to oust him from power through elections.

He reiterates his spokespeople’s denial of claims by the Frenchman, Arnaud Mimran, to the effect that he funded an election campaign by Netanyahu, and states that he received the money — “not a million euros,” as Mimran had initially claimed — as a “private citizen for hasbara for the benefit of Israel.”

Netanyahu goes on to say that other legal issues involving his wife, Sara, are part of the same campaign.

“They trample the image of my wife and turn her into human dust,” he adds.

“I believe in our justice system, and nothing will come of any of these cases, and do you know why? Because there is nothing,” Netanyahu continues.

It is the first response by Netanyahu in his own voice to Mimran’s claims.

— Raphael Ahren contributed