Israel’s Netanyahu Defends Himself Against Criminal Probes – By Claire Hansen (usnews.com) / Jan 7 2019
The prime minister said he asked to confront his accusers but was refused.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended himself amid ongoing corruption probes in televised remarks Monday.
In an address he pre-emptively billed as a “dramatic announcement” but which proved to be somewhat anticlimactic, Netanyahu said he asked to confront accusers in the cases against him but was refused. Three of his senior aides have agreed to testify against him, according to The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu repeated his demand, on television, to confront the state’s witnesses, The Times of Israel reported. He also said police have ignored other possible witnesses in the cases who could have testified in his favor.
Netanyahu is accused of bribery in three cases. One case involves gifts from rich associates, and the other two involve possible deals for regulatory favors in exchange for positive media coverage. In his remarks, Netanyahu said the bribery accusations against him are unfounded because no money was ultimately exchanged.
Avi Gabbay, leader of the opposing Labor Party, said Netanyahu’s speech highlighted the need for a new prime minister.
“In a normal country, a prime minister does not behave this way. In a normal country, the prime minister does not attack the law enforcement authorities,” Gabbay said, according to The Times of Israel.
