Israel police recommend corruption charges for Netanyahu

JERUSALEM: Israeli police recommended Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted for alleged corruption, shaking the country's politics and raising questions over whether his long tenure in office could be nearing an end.

Netanyahu, prime minister for a total of nearly 12 years, addressed the nation as news of the recommendations broke, proclaiming his innocence and making clear he had no intention of resigning.

"Over the years, I have been the subject of at least 15 enquiries and investigations," Netanyahu said in the televised address, standing before four Israeli flags and appearing tense. "Some have ended with thunderous police recommendations like those of tonight. All of those attempts resulted in nothing, and this time again they will come to nothing."

A decision on whether to press formal charges against him now rests with the attorney general´s office, which is expected to take weeks or months to decide how to proceed. A prime minister facing such police recommendations or who has been formally charged is not obliged to resign. Police said in a statement they were recommending his indictment on bribery, fraud and breach of public trust. They have been investigating Netanyahu over suspicions that he and his family received expensive gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.

The gifts allegedly included pricey cigars, jewellery, and champagne. The total value of the gifts received between 2007 and 2016 is estimated at around one million shekels (229,000 euros, $283,000), according to police. They have also been probing allegations Netanyahu sought a secret deal for favourable coverage with the publisher of top-selling newspaper Yediot Aharonot.

Police recommended indicting Milchan and the publisher, Arnon Moses, with bribery as well, the statement said. "Those recommendations have no legal value in a democratic country," Netanyahu said in his address, referring to his own case.

He added that "our government will finish its term and I am sure that in the next elections (due in 2019), I will again win your confidence". Avi Gabbay, leader of the opposition Labour party, said "the Netanyahu era is over."

"It is the duty of every decent public figure to strengthen the police and the law and to act to end the path of the government headed by Netanyahu," he wrote on Twitter. The 68-year-old right-wing premier has been questioned seven times by police over the allegations and has called the investigation an attempt by political opponents to force him from office.