Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be appearing in court on Sunday to face criminal prosecution. This is coming almost a week after the Prime Minister and his long time rival, Benny Gantz, agreed to form a unity government. He will be the first prime minister in the history of Israel to face a court trial while in office.

The Allegations Against Netanyahu

Three charges have been filed against PM Netanyahu named cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. In Case 1000, the Prime Minister and his wife were accused of fraud and a breach of trust, after receiving gifts such as champagne and cigars. In case 2000, Netanyahu allegedly breached public trust after negotiating a deal with the owner of Israel’s best-selling daily newspaper, and offering legislation that would slow the growth of a rival daily newspaper in return. In case 4000, he is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. after allegedly granting regulatory favours to Israel’s leading telecommunications company, Bezeq Telecom Israel, in return for positive coverage of him and his wife.

Why This Matters: A Win for Israeli Citizens?

Recall that a few weeks back, Israeli citizens braved the coronavirus outbreak and staged protests against Netanyahu’s hold on power, despite criminal charges levelled against him. For Herb Keinon, a reporter with the Jerusalem Post, Isreal loses either way.

“If Netanyahu is convicted, half the country will believe that he was railroaded and the other half will lose faith in the political system. If acquitted, faith in the justice system will be lost,’ he writes.

If the case against the Prime Minister is successful, he could be facing 13 years of jail time. Bribery charges carry a sentence of up to 10 years in jail and/or a fine. Fraud and breach of trust carry a prison sentence of up to three years.