Tag Archives: Benjamin Netanyahu

Haaretz reports: For the first time in Israel’s history, a sitting prime minister is accused of bribery: Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit announced Thursday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be charged with bribery, fraud and breach in three corruption cases, dubbed Cases 4000, 2000 and 1000. The indictment comes after a four-day hearing with Netanyahu’s defense team last month, followed by …

The New York Times reports: Benny Gantz, the chief political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday that he had failed to form a new government ahead of a looming midnight deadline, propelling a deeply divided Israel into a new, uncharted phase of political chaos and increasing the likelihood of a third election in a year. Israel has been …

Haaretz reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced to President Reuven Rivlin that he is returning the mandate to form a governing coalition. In a Facebook video posted Monday, Netanyahu said “Ever since receiving the mandate [to form a government] I have worked relentlessly … to establish a broad national unity government. This is what the people wants.” But he argued …

Axios reports: Jared Kushner will travel to Israel during the last week of October, Israeli officials tell me. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Benny Gantz, the man seeking to replace Netanyahu as prime minister. Why it matters: Kushner knows Netanyahu well after their many meetings, but this will be his first meeting with …

The Associated Press reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-awaited pre-indictment hearing on corruption charges began Wednesday in Jerusalem, as a jittery political world eagerly sought clarity on his legal standing amid the stalemate that followed the country’s second inconclusive election of the year. Netanyahu is currently struggling to prolong his lengthy rule by building a unity government with his …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin tapped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government, setting off weeks of political jockeying as the incumbent tries to maintain his hold on power. Mr. Rivlin’s announcement came as talks between Mr. Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz to form a broad unity government after last week’s inconclusive election have …

Vanity Fair reports: Benjamin Netanyahu is learning the hard way that Donald Trump is a fair-weather friend. The right-wing Israeli prime minister had been among the president’s few steadfast friends on the world stage; Trump, in turn, has long stood strong with Netanyahu. But after Bibi appeared to suffer a stinging loss in the Israeli elections this week, Trump did …

Haaretz reports: U.S. President Donald Trump was “played” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on several occasions, said Trump’s former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday during a panel interview with Harvard professors. Tillerson, who had a contentious tenure as the U.S.’s top diplomat, said that Netanyahu is “an extraordinarily skilled” politician and diplomat, but “a bit Machiavellian.” He continued, …

Haaretz reports: With 98 percent of the vote counted in Israel’s election, Kahol Lavan grew by one seat to 33, widening its edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party. Kingmaker Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party lost a seat, leaving it with eight in the incoming Knesset. The results give the center-left a slight advantage of 57 seats, compared to …

The Jerusalem Post reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on his chief electoral rival Blue and White Party head Benny Gantz to hold talks toward the creation of a unity government, during a speech he gave at the memorial ceremony for former Israeli president Shimon Peres. “I propose that we meet as soon as possible without preconditions to cooperate in …

Politico Europe reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies failed to garner a majority of seats in Israel’s legislature, as Israelis went to the ballot boxes for the second time in a year on Tuesday following an inconclusive election in April. With 92 percent of votes counted, the prime minister’s Likud party is set to take a total …

The Guardian reports: Facebook has suspended a chatbot on Benjamin Netanyahu’s official page after it breached hate speech policy by sending visitors a message warning of Arabs who “want to destroy us all”. Battling a tight election race in the run-up to the 17 September polls, the Israeli prime minister has sought to appeal to far-right religious and nationalist voters …

NBC News reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that he may annex the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank “in coordination” with the United States — a move that risks shattering the fragile status quo in the volatile region. “This is a historic opportunity to apply sovereignty to communities in Judea and Samaria,” he …

The Washington Post reports: Less than three months after narrowly winning his fifth term as Israel’s prime minister and a month after calling an unprecedented second election, Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly trying to undo the redo. Emerging victorious from the April 9 election, Netanyahu was given 28 days, plus an extension, to form Israel’s next government. But after failing to …

Haaretz reports: In huge gilded letters (what else?), on a piece of synthetic lawn (of course), a large sign was erected in the Golan Heights, as if taken directly from the best of comedy sketches. Ramat Trump, or Trump Heights, will be built here. Even the strong gusts, which made it difficult to put up the scenery, gave this ridiculous …

The New York Times reports: Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, accepted a plea bargain on Wednesday morning and will pay about $15,000 in fines and restitution to settle accusations that she misused about $100,000 in public funds in managing the couple’s official residence. Prosecutors said that Ms. Netanyahu, whom they charged with fraud, had …

Haaretz reports: The Knesset voted Wednesday night to dissolve itself after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition, sending Israel to a new election mere seven weeks after the last one. At the heart of the impasse was the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students: Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Lieberman, without whom Netanyahu can’t form a coalition, refused …

The Associated Press reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urgently worked to break a deadlock in coalition negotiations Tuesday as the once far-fetched possibility of fresh general elections only months after April polls loomed ever larger. Netanyahu has until Wednesday night to reach a coalition deal, but he has been unable to convince ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman to abandon a …

Bloomberg reports: Israel’s newly elected parliament is drafting a bill to dissolve itself. The move comes as a deadline to form a coalition government nears with no progress in sight. If the bill passes, Israel would face its second election campaign in a matter of months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to have a clear path to a majority coalition …

The Times Of Israel reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Thursday for a printed Bible to be carried to the moon by the next Israeli spacecraft to make the journey, and credited Judaism’s foundational text for the “daring” and “spirit” Israelis demonstrate in the attempt. Speaking at the International Bible Quiz for Youth, the prime minister vowed to send a …