Prosecution moving toward indicting PM on grafts probe — report

The prosecutor in charge of overseeing the graft probes into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is moving “in the direction” of an indictment over gifts he received from wealthy businessmen, Channel 10 reports.

However, the indictment in the so-called Case 1000 will be on the lesser charges of breach of trust rather than bribery as recommended by police earlier this year, the TV channel says.

Attorney Liat Ben Ari, head of the Tel Aviv prosecution is moving “in the direction” of making such a recommendation to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, according to Channel 10.

A breach of trust indictment would mean that Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan would likely not face charges along with Netanyahu.

The prime minister is suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels’ worth of cigars and champagne from Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, in return for certain benefits.

Regarding two other probes against Netanyahu — Cases 2000 and 4000 — the prosecution has not yet reached such an assumption regarding an indictment, the report adds.

However, Channel 10 says that the two cases “strengthen one another,” and that if Netanyahu were to be charged with one, he would also be indicted on the other as well.

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 take steps weaken a rival daily, the Sheldon Adelson-backed Israel Hayom, in return for more favorable coverage from Yedioth.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem on April 15, 2018. (AFP Photo/Gali Tibbon)