The Israeli Attorney General has accused Benjamin Netanyahu. The main allegations:
Luxury gifts for tax breaks
Netanyahu and his family are suspected of having received luxury gifts such as cigars, champagne, and jewelery worth more than 700,000 shekels (around 185,000 euros) from wealthy individuals. In return, Netanyahu should have procured the patrons financial or personal benefits.
Specifically, it is about the case of Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, the Netanyahu and his family had made gifts worth 478,000 shekels and received tax concessions in the millions. In addition, Netanyahu Milchan should have helped in obtaining a US visa.
Netanyahu rejects allegations of fraud and unfaithfulness by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in the affair known as "Case 1000". According to Netanyahu, the expensive presents he received were gifts from friends for whom there was no compensation.
Offer to a media mogul
A second allegation relates to an alleged offer that Netanyahu made to the publisher of the pro-government newspaper, "Jediot Ahronot," Arnon Moses, in order to secure more positive coverage. According to Netanyahu Moses have a weakening of the free newspaper "Israel Hajom" - the most important competitor sheet of "Jediot Ahronot" - have promised.
The police based their investigation in the "Fall 2000" on audio recordings of meetings between Netanyahu and Moses. Netanyahu's former cabinet chief Ari Harow made himself available as a witness after plea bargaining. The charge against Netanyahu in this case is fraud and infidelity.
The Besek affair
Most serious are the allegations against Netanyahu in the Besek affair known as the "Fall 4000". The complaint alleges that Netanyahu, as Secretary of Communications, is said to have granted legal advantages to the Israeli telecommunications company Besek in exchange for positive coverage in the company's news website "Walla".
The key witness in this case is the longtime Netanyahu confidante Schlomo Filber. He is accused of mediating between Netanyahu and the main shareholder of Besek, Schaul Elowitsch, and has promoted Besek worth several million dollars.
Netanyahu denies having received consideration for legal adjustments from Elowitsch. The head of government points out that Walla's coverage of him is negative. The legal benefits that benefited Besek have been supported by experts, Netanyahu argues.
Mandelblit announced charges of bribery, fraud and infidelity against Netanyahu over the Besek affair. Among other things, the Attorney General accuses the Likud politician of putting pressure on "Walla" for the site to publish an article about the wife of a political rival who is said to have worked in a non-kosher restaurant. In addition, "Walla" allegedly downplayed negative reports about Netanyahu.
