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Israel’s Trump Indicted

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face indictments in all three corruption cases against him — for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

The similarity to Trump is all too obvious, including Trumpian entanglement with Jewish lawyers who make my Jewish skin crawl.  In the Israeli system, the Attorney general has independence than the Presidentially appointed Barr.  Israel’s parliament will now strip Bibi of his parliamentary immunity, but Netanyahu will have 30 days to ask the Knesset not to strip him of parliamentary immunity and given the chaos in the Israeli parliament, with no party holding even a plurality, the Trumpian process could take a long time especially if last-ditch efforts to form a government over the next three weeks fail. It’s unclear what Netanyahu’s status will be at that time.

Stories of corruption ion Israel have focussed on Sara Netanyahu, Bibi’s wife’, and her relationship with Israel’s leading telecommunications tycoon.  Allegedly the tycoon, who  was also the telecom minister in Bibi’s cabinet, allegedly provided regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In return, Netanyahu and his wife demanded Fox-like positive coverage from a major news websites, owned by the tycoon.  Police have also recommended charges in two other bribery cases.

 


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  1. Mark Adams #
    1

    The Israeli Attorney General is the ultimate unelected official. Even has super powers. Oddly regular Knesset members are not above the law and must resign if charged, though the Prime Minister does not have to resign.
    And bribery is broadly defined in Israel. Talking to a journalist could be bribery. And the whole charge of breach of trust is problematic because there is no standard and it will come down to whatever the judge on the case thinks it is.
    This could show why the attorney General should e an elected official, or be an Knesset member.