Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) — He was accused of using his high office to advance his personal political interests. He derided the investigation as a “witch hunt” fueled by “fake news” — an “attempted coup.” He counted on his right-wing base, his hand-picked attorney general and his media savvy to weather the crisis.

Not U.S. President Donald Trump, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was indicted Thursday on corruption charges.

Jerusalem, Nov 22 (AP/PTI) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's indictment is expected to sharpen the battle lines in Israel's already deadlocked political system and could test the loyalty of his right-wing allies, Israeli commentators said Friday.

The serious corruption charges announced Thursday appear to have dashed already slim hopes for a unity government following September's elections, paving the way for an unprecedented repeat vote in March, which will be the third in less than a year.

22 Nov 2019; MEMO:  On Thursday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin instructed the Knesset to choose one of its members to form a government after the failure of Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz in this task.

Speaking in a press conference with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, Rivlin said that the leader of the “Blue and White” party, Benny Gantz, was unable to form a government either.

He added that “this is the first time we have reached this stage.”

22 Nov 2019; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Israeli Attorney General’s decision Thursday to criminal indict him, calling it an attempted coup, Anadolu reports.

In a televised speech shortly after the indictment was announced, Netanyahu claimed the investigation was biased by the police and investigators.

JERUSALEM, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Israel's attorney general officially announced on Thursday that he has decided to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges after months of speculation.

The announcement comes as Israel finds itself in muddy political waters, after two inconclusive elections that have left the country with an interim government for almost a year.

21 Nov 2019; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly agreed yesterday that Likud’s bill which stipulates annexation of the Jordan Valley should be passed to the Knesset for approval, Israeli media reported.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief rival announced Wednesday that he had failed to form a new government, dashing his hopes of toppling the long-time Israeli prime minister and pushing the country closer toward an unprecedented third election in less than a year.

TASS, November 20: The Israeli Air Force has attacked dozens of positions occupied by the Syrian army and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force in Syria in response to a missile barrage on Israeli territory that was carried out yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) press service said on Wednesday.

ALON SHVUT, West Bank (AP) — Israel’s prime minister traveled to the West Bank on Tuesday to celebrate the U.S.’s announcement that it does not consider Israeli settlements to violate international law.

Benjamin Netanyahu called the Trump administration’s declaration, which stepped back from four decades of U.S. policy and reversed the policies of President Barack Obama, a “huge achievement” that “fixed a historic wrong.”

“I think it is a great day for the state of Israel and an achievement that will remain for decades,” he said.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria in Wednesday, carrying out a “wide-scale” strike in response to rocket fire on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights the day before.

The military said its fighter jets hit multiple targets belonging to the elite Quds force, including surface-to-air missiles, weapons warehouses and military bases. After the Syrian military fired an air defense missile, the Israeli military said a number of Syrian aerial defense batteries were also destroyed.