Netanyahu Could Face Indictment by Stephen Lendman
He remains unaccountable for high crimes of war and against humanity, for vicious state terror, for policies threatening regional and world peace. Not a glove laid on him for wrongdoing this egregious.
He may have been too smart by half, caught red-handed on tape, negotiating a quid pro quo with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes for more favorable broadsheet coverage in return for legislation prohibiting distribution of the free daily Israel Hayom, YA’s main competitor, owned by Netanyahu supporter Sheldon Adelson.
According to former State Prosecutor’s Office financial investigations department head Avia Alef, if the above report is true, “there is no question that this is bribery.”
Mozes was caught on tape, saying “(i)f we can come to an agreement (for legislation prohibiting Israel Hayom’s free distribution), I will do all I can to make sure you stay (in power) as long as you want. I’m looking you in the eye, and saying this as clearly as I can.”
Netanyahu reportedly agreed, but there’s no evidence a quid pro quo deal was implemented. Yet under Israeli law, requesting or agreeing to a deal like Mozes and Netanyahu discussed constitutes bribery - even if follow-through never occurred.
Both figures are vulnerable to indictment. Netanyahu is a pathological liar. Weeks before Israel’s March 2015 elections, he submitted an affidavit to Israel’s Central Elections Committee, saying he “does not have, and has never had, any ties of control or any other organizational ties, in any form, with Israel Hayom, or with newspaper staff or journalists writing for it, that would influence the paper’s editorial considerations or its contents.”
If information explained above is accurate, he could be charged with fraud, bribery, perjury, breach of trust, and violating campaign finance rules.
He and Mozes both could face prosecution.