Associated Press; Sheldon S., Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval, Crystal Q., Wisdom Quarterly
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Israel's PM Netanyahu, left, speaks with then Cabinet Sec'y now Attorney Gen. Avichai Mandelblit, who is charging corrupt leader (Abir Sultan/pool photo via AP, file).
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| But I like Bibi. He's just like me! (AP) |
A series of corruption cases against him is shaking up an already tumultuous election campaign and threatening to end the corrupt Israeli leader's decades-long [CIA-backed] political career.
The potential charges stretch across an array of embarrassing scandals that have painted Netanyahu [Israel's own "Trump"] as a hedonistic, and sometimes petty, leader with a taste for expensive gifts and an obsession over his public image.
They include allegations he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of champagne and cigars from billionaire friends and allegedly used his influence to help a wealthy telecom magnate in exchange for favorable coverage on a popular news site.
While a final decision on charges is still months away [due to Israeli procedural law that allows Netanyahu to argue against being formally charged], Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's recommendations threatened to hurt Netanyahu's standing in the heat of a tight re-election battle.
Netanyahu now faces calls to immediately step down while he deals with the distraction of trying to stay out of jail.
Appearing on national TV late Thursday, Netanyahu dismissed the allegations as an "unprecedented witch hunt" by political opponents intent on seeing him lose the April 9 election.
He called the timing of the recommendations [which were more than two years in the making*] "outrageous" and accused prosecutors of caving in to pressure from "the left."
Appearing emotional at times, he called the case a "blood libel" [an inflammatory claim meant to solicit sympathy for a dictator] said he would debunk all charges and vowed to remain prime minister for many years [with the CIA's backing].
"This house of cards will collapse," he said as he addressed voters. "Don't let this witch hunt affect you."
*Atty. Gen. Mandelblit announced his recommendations after more than two years of intense investigations and deliberations by police, legal experts, and financial regulators.
"The attorney general has reached his decision after thoroughly examining the evidence collected during the investigations," his statement said.
Netanyahu was not formally charged [because it is not legal to do so yet]. Under Israeli law, he is entitled to defend himself at a hearing before charges are officially filed.
That [pre-defense] process is expected to take many months and be completed long after the election [which if he wins he can more easily squash and evade justice]. More
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