Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the Israel Police and the media on Wednesday, a day after police investigators announced that they have sufficient evidence to indict him on corruption charges in two separate cases.
Netanyahu called the police findings "biased and extreme, and riddled with holes like Swiss cheese."
Netanyahu reiterated his oft-stated assertion that "nothing will come of this," accused police of being on a witch hunt, and vowed to serve out his entire term.
Police announced on Tuesday that they had gathered sufficient evidence to indict Netanyahu in the two corruption probes known as Case 1,000 and Case 2,000.
In a case summary report submitted to Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, the investigators said the evidence suggests that Netanyahu's conduct involved fraud and breach of trust (considered one offense under the penal code), as well as soliciting and accepting bribes.
Case 1,000 centers on gifts Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are said to have received from Israeli businessman and film producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.
Case 2,000 focuses on an illicit deal Netanyahu allegedly tried to strike with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes under which Yedioth would soften its aggressive anti-Netanyahu stance in return for the prime minister working to pass legislation that would help Yedioth financially or use his influence to curtail Israel Hayom, Yedioth's rival.
In their report Tuesday, police investigators said Netanyahu had accepted gifts valued at 750,000 shekels ($210,000) from Milchan, and 250,000 shekels ($71,000) from Packer. The gifts from Milchan, whose credits include "Pretty Woman," ''12 Years a Slave" and "JFK," reportedly included expensive cigars and champagne. In return, Netanyahu allegedly operated on Milchan's behalf on U.S. visa matters, promoted a bill that would help reduce his tax burden, and connected him with an Indian businessman. Police said he also helped Milchan in the Israeli media market.
In the report on Case 2,000, investigators said Netanyahu and Mozes had held talks on a possible deal starting in 2009 and began meeting in person in 2014. According to the report, under the terms of the alleged deal, Mozes was asked to help Netanyahu consolidate power as prime minister by providing favorable coverage in his paper, Yedioth Ahronoth. In return, Netanyahu allegedly agreed to help the paper's financial well-being by curtailing its main competitor, the daily Israel Hayom, including by means of legislation. The police say the two took concrete steps towards implementing the deal, apparently contradicting Netanyahu's claim that he was only pretending to be negotiating with Mozes. Investigators say one of those steps was Netanyahu's effort to introduce certain provisions to the so-called anti-Israel Hayom bill in a way that would primarily benefit Yedioth Ahronoth, as well as his alleged attempt to persuade Israel Hayom's owners to reduce its distribution and discontinue its weekend supplement.
According to investigators, Milchan's conduct amounts to bribery, while Mozes' actions constitute attempted bribery.
Shortly after the police submitted their findings, Netanyahu delivered a combative speech in which he dismissed the accusations and said he had always acted based on Israel's national interests.
"I will continue to lead the state of Israel responsibly and loyally as long as you, the citizens of Israel, choose me to lead you," Netanyahu said in a televised address. "I am sure the truth will come to light. And I am sure that in the next election, which will take place as scheduled, I will win your trust again, with God's help."
In his TV address, Netanyahu said his entire three-decade political career, which included serving as Israel's ambassador to the U.N., a stint as prime minister in the 1990s and a series of cabinet posts, was meant only to serve the Israeli public.
He acknowledged aiding Milchan with his visa issues but said Milchan had done much for Israel and noted that the late former President Shimon Peres had also been close with Milchan.
He also said that over the years he had made decisions that hurt Milchan's business interests in Israel.
"Why would someone seriously think that in exchange for cigars I acted for Arnon Milchen's benefit?" he said. He said all the allegations over the years against him had one goal: "to topple me," and stressed that past scandals had all "ended with nothing" and "this time as well they will end with nothing."
The recommendations will now go to Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, who will review the material before deciding whether to file charges. Even then, Netanyahu would still have a pre-indictment hearing before the case goes to trial. Netanyahu can remain in office during that process, which is expected to drag on for months. Under Israeli law, he can remain in power while on trial and in possibly even after he being convicted, depending on the specifics of the case and the severity of the sentence.
Channel 10 read a statement that it said came from Milchan's "defense team," saying the bribery charge would not stand. It said Milchan's relationship with Netanyahu goes back to the early 2000s, before he became prime minister, and that the men and their families were friends. There was no immediate comment from Packer or Mozes.
