Israel’s attorney general announced Thursday he intended to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a decision just weeks ahead of April elections.
The long-awaited announcement will further shake up the turbulent political campaign and threaten Netanyahu’s lengthy tenure at the top of Israeli politics.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said in a statement that he intended to charge the premier pending a hearing, where Netanyahu would be given a chance to defend himself before charges are filed.
The announcement comes ahead of April 9 elections in which Netanyahu is facing a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance headed by a respected former military chief of staff, Benny Gantz.
A couple of hours after the announcement, the prime minister dismissed the allegations as a “witch hunt” meant to topple him in a televised speech from his official residence, a campaign banner reading “Netanyahu Strong Right” behind him.
With his opponents calling for him to resign, he said he planned on being prime minister for a long time to come despite the allegations.
“The left knows it cannot beat us at the polling booth, so for the past three years they have been carrying out an unprecedented witch hunt which has one aim: to topple the right-wing government which I lead,” he said.
“The main thing was to influence the elections, even if we know that this house of cards will completely collapse after the elections.”
