Netanyahu’s lawyers say verdict in former mayor’s case helps PM

11 November 2019, 3:55 pm

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Netanyahu’s lawyers claim that the verdict in the case of the former mayor of Ashkelon weakens the state’s position in the most severe of the cases against the prime minister.

The former mayor, Itamar Shimoni, was cleared of taking bribes in the case of a local news site critical of the mayor that was bought by a local contractor and then promptly closed.

Netanyahu’s lawyers argue that Shimoni’s verdict is relevant to Case 4000, in which the prime minister is suspected of advancing regulatory decisions that greatly enriched the owner of the Bezeq telecom giant in exchange for positive coverage on a news site that was part of the same group.

Netanyahu is suspected of taking bribes in that case, along with breach of trust and fraud.