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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel PM charged with corruption | Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel PM charged with corruption |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Israel's attorney general has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases. | Israel's attorney general has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases. |
| Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage. | Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage. |
| He has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a "witch hunt" by his left-wing opponents and the media. | |
| He has also insisted he will not resign and is not legally obliged to do so. | He has also insisted he will not resign and is not legally obliged to do so. |
| But the announcement comes amid a political stand-off in Israel following two inconclusive general elections in April and September. | But the announcement comes amid a political stand-off in Israel following two inconclusive general elections in April and September. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu's rival for the premiership, Benny Gantz, said he had been unable to form a governing coalition with a majority in parliament. He had been given the opportunity to try after Mr Netanyahu had earlier failed to do so. | |
| President Reuven Rivlin asked lawmakers on Thursday to agree on a candidate for prime minister within 21 days and avoid an unprecedented third election in a year. | President Reuven Rivlin asked lawmakers on Thursday to agree on a candidate for prime minister within 21 days and avoid an unprecedented third election in a year. |
| What are the charges? | What are the charges? |
| Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said in February that he intended to indict Mr Netanyahu in connection with three cases - known as Case 1,000, Case 2,000 and Case 3,000 - pending final hearings that eventually took place last month. | |
| What happens next? | |
| It is unclear what this means for Mr Netanyahu's future. | |
| He is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise, and there is currently no legal barrier to him staying in office as prime minister. | |
| It could take many months before the cases are brought before a district court. And even if convicted, Mr Netanyahu would not be required to step down until the appeals process was exhausted - something that could take years. | |
| However, correspondents say many will question the prime minister's ability to handle affairs of state if he is simultaneously defending himself in court. | |
| Non-governmental organisations may petition the Supreme Court to force Mr Netanyahu to resign. The court has previously ruled that a cabinet minister charged with a crime must step down or be removed from office, and it would have to decide whether that should also apply to the prime minister. | |
| Allies of Mr Netanyahu in parliament may seek to pass legislation that would grant him immunity from prosecution while in office, and allow lawmakers to overrule a possible Supreme Court ruling reversing that immunity. |