Jerusalem – Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating a plea to escape from prison and end his corruption trial. According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice Israel And two sources involved in the talks, court terms could be announced before the end of the month.
Bargaining involves, in some cases, admitting guilt in exchange for a reduction in the seriousness of the charges, which will likely mean a punishment of community service.
Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and bribery in three separate cases. He denies all the allegations. The deal would include filing an allegation of “moral turpitude”, which under Israeli law would bar the former prime minister from holding political office for seven years.
A final deal would spare Netanyahu from a long and embarrassing trial that would shift the focus of the nation and could tarnish his legacy. Netanyahu’s spokesman declined to comment.
The inclusion of an allegation of “moral turpitude” would be contrary to Netanyahu’s pledge to return to the government, which ended last year after his 12-year term against a coalition of divisive parties that opposed the former prime minister’s are much less in comparison.
But Netanyahu, who managed to resist several attempts to oust him from power, may return when the veto expires. He must have been about 80 years old./Reuters E AP
