In echoes of the legal problems faced by his U.S. counterpart, far-right Likudnik Israeli Prime Minister Bibi "Bomb Bomb" Netanyahu's pre-indictment hearing on the three corruption charges began today in Jerusalem. Netanyahu is facing bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges leveled by Israel's attorney general following a lengthy investigation:
"The allegations against him include suspicions that he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of champagne and cigars from billionaire friends, offered a critical publisher legislation that would weaken his paper’s main rival in return for softer treatment and allegedly used his influence to help a wealthy telecom magnate in exchange for favorable coverage on a popular news site."Netanyahu's response to the charges also mimics his U.S. counterpart's: it's all a media-orchestrated witch hunt.
Netanyahu's Likud Party and their right-wing allies came up short in last month's parliamentary elections, beaten by the centrist Blue and White Party led by former Israeli General Benny Gantz. Netanyahu has been desperately trying to form a governing coalition with Gantz, but Gantz has properly refused. Should Netanyahu have to step down as Prime Minister, he could be tried and convicted of the crimes, something that his position as Prime Minister currently protects him from. Elections have consequences there, also.
(photo: Campaign poster for Netanyahu, who leaned heavily on his close relationship with demagogue and unindicted felon Donald "Individual-1" Trump)
