Letters
The case agains Bibi matters
This letter is in response to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s December 20 column, “Are we really prosecuting Bibi over cigars while Israel fights Iran?” Rabbi Boteach misstates the case(s) against Bibi. Rabbi Boteach states that Bibi is being “targeted for alleged corruption involving champagne and cigars.”
Bibi was not “targeted” by some hostile opposition official. Bibi was charged by then Attorney-General, Avichai Mandelblit, a Bibi appointee.
Rabbi Boteach misstates the facts. Bibi is being prosecuted separately for three cases, known as Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 4000. The three cases allege: (1) breach of trust, (2) accepting bribes and (3) fraud.
Case 1000 (fraud and breach of trust) alleges that between 2011 and 2016, Bibi solicited and accepted gifts of cigars and champagne worth about NIS 707,000 (USD 197,000) in return for political favors extended to billionaire businessman Arnon Milchan.
Case 2000 (fraud and breach of trust) alleges that between 2008 and 2014 Bibi conspired with media magnate Arnon Mozes to introduce legislation to curtail the distribution of a rival newspaper owned by Sheldon Adelson, the casino mogul, in exchange for favorable political coverage of Bibi and his family. During the course of these political efforts, in exchange for his assistance, Bibi got Mozes to conduct negative political coverage of Moshe Kahlon, chairman of Kulanu, and Naftali Bennett, chairman of Habayit Hayehudi. This case had nothing to do with cigars and champagne as Rabbi Boteach misleadingly writes.
Case 4000 (bribery, fraud and breach of trust) alleges that during the period between 2014 and 2017 Bibi entered into a “reciprocal arrangement” with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Israel’s largest telecommunications company. It is estimated that Elovitch’s benefit amounted to NIS 1.8 billion (USD 504 million). In return for Bibi’s help with various regulatory matters, Elovitch instructed his media to provide favorable coverage of Bibi and his family and to provide negative coverage of Bibi’s political rivals. This included rewriting articles, removing unfavorable articles, and reporting negative items about Naftali Bennett, Bennett’s wife and his father, and about President Rivlin. This case had nothing to do with cigars and champagne, as Rabbi Boteach misleadingly tells us.
Rabbi Boteach’s column trivializes the real issues concerning Bibi by mischaracterizing and omitting vital facts. In my opinion, the allegations against Bibi show a leader who is willing to subvert democracy and freedom of the press to stay in power. The threat of Iran should not be a get-out-of-jail card for Bibi.
For those readers who want to know more, see the May 16, 2019 edition of the Times of Israel. The article in English is titled: “Full text: The criminal allegations against Netanyahu, as set out by Israel’s AG.”
Ben Kaplan, Esq.
Hackensack
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