Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday rejected his indictment on a series of corruption charges and demanded that “the investigators be investigated.”
The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu in a statement said, “I dedicated my life for the state. I fought for it, was injured for it and am very proud of that. But this is a sad day. One needs to be blind to not see that something bad is happening in the legal system.”
Israel’s Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit had announced that Benjamin Netanyahu will be charged with criminal wrongdoing in three separate cases against him, including bribery in the far-reaching Bezeq corruption probe.
Following that Netanyahu addressed the country from his residence and characterized the legal process against him as “condminiated” and full of “false allegations,” and charged that the investigators were not “looking for the truth, they were looking for me,” reported The Jerusalem Post.
“I appeal to my political opponents, decent political rivals, who understand that in order for our state to prosper and flourish, in order for it to exist, there has to be a reliable and impartial rule of law here,” he said.
“I will not let the lie win,” he concluded. “I will continue to lead the country according to the law, as it is written. I will continue to lead the country responsibly, with dedication, with concern for the security and future of us all. For the sake of the state – the investigators need to be investigated.”
Israeli law does not require Netanyahu to step down from the post of Prime Minister if indicted and the trial could take two years.
