Netanyahu shrugs off police corruption claims, opposition

Published 10:20 pm Wednesday, February 14, 2018

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday shrugged off police recommendations that he be charged with corruption, calling the allegations “biased, extreme, full of holes, like Swiss cheese” and vowed to remain in office.

Speaking at a local government meeting in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said his government remains stable despite the police announcement, and that “the truth will come to light and nothing will come of this.”

Israeli opposition leaders have called on Netanyahu to step down but the longtime premier angrily rejected those calls as well.

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The police announcement late Tuesday that Netanyahu accepted nearly $300,000 in gifts from two billionaires dealt the embattled prime minister an embarrassing blow after years of investigations, but did not appear to immediately rattle his rule as reaction largely fell along partisan lines.

Nearly all of Netanyahu’s Cabinet ministers issued statements of support and no coalition partners appeared ready to bolt. Netanyahu’s coalition whip, David Amsalem, accused the police of committing “an illegitimate act here to attempt a coup d’etat in Israel.”