Prosecutors recommend criminal charges for newly reelected Netanya mayor

Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, suspected of fraud and breach of trust over benefits to real estate developers, was voted to serve a 5th term last week

State prosecutors have recommended that the recently reelected mayor of Netanya be indicted for fraud and breach of trust.

Miriam Feirberg-Ikar has been under criminal investigation since 2016 for bribery, fraud, money laundering and tax offenses involving millions of shekels.

Last month, the Economic Department at the State Attorney’s Office recommended the charges to state prosecutor Shai Nitzan following the completion of a nearly two-year investigation into Feirberg-Ikar and other city officials by the Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit, the Kan news broadcaster reported Sunday.

The department told Nitzan there was enough evidence to bring criminal charges against Feirberg-Ikar for fraud and breach of trust without the bribery offense.

Police suspect Feirberg-Ikar and other municipal officials of accepting hundreds of thousands of shekels in bribes in return for promoting certain real estate projects in the northern coastal city.

In March, police recommended Feirberg-Ikar be indicted for election bribery, fraud and breach of trust. In their recommendation, police told Nitzan their investigation had revealed an “extensive pattern of criminal activity by the mayor and members of her family.”

Feirberg-Ikar’s son Tzafrir, the city’s works and development committee head Rabbi Shimon Sher, developer Avraham Tshuva, attorney Avraham Gogig, and architect Gabi Tetro were also implicated in the scheme.

Nitzan will decide whether to press charges against Feirberg-Ikar.

Last week, Feirberg-Ikar was elected to serve a fifth term as mayor of Netanya. Endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in this year’s race, she won 50 percent of the vote in her city.

Feirberg-Ikar was not the only candidate in last Tuesday’s nationwide local elections facing criminal charges.

The head of the Tamar Regional Council who pleaded guilty to breach of trust last month won a fourth term with 56% of the votes. The incumbent mayors of Hadera and Nazareth, who are under criminal investigation, were also reelected.

Under Israeli law, candidates may run for local government with indictments or convictions to their names and may only be disqualified from the race with a conviction of a crime that carries moral turpitude.