Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three ongoing cases, better known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, the country's Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit announced on 21 November. Thus Netanyahu became the first person holding the post of the prime minister to be charged with bribery.
Responding to the corruption charges that were filed against him, Netanyahu said that the process is meant to topple him and called it "an attempted coup" against an acting prime minister.
A copy of the indictment in the cases was sent to the speaker of the country’s parliament, the Knesset, thereby enabling Netanyahu to request immunity from criminal prosecution as per Israeli law, the attorney general’s statement said.
In the three criminal cases, Netanyahu and his family are accused of receiving valuable gifts in return for favours, as well as of striking illegal quid pro quo deals with two Israeli businessmen while occupying the post. The prime minister claims he is innocent of all the charges.