The embattled former prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, was asked by the government on Monday to return gifts from foreign leaders he had received during his tenure in office.
Unidentified source told reporters Associated Press The prime minister’s office has asked Netanyahu to return any gifts he received during his tenure. A local Israeli media reported that the government is seeking to return 42 items given to Netanyahu, including a rectangular box made of glass decorated with Barack Obama’s signature and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s signature. The first Bible. According to reports, other problematic gifts were provided by leaders such as France, Germany, and the Pope.
When contacted by Netanyahu’s spokesperson for comment, Netanyahu denied to the Associated Press that the former prime minister had any gifts. According to Israeli law, any gift worth more than US$90 is the property of the State of Israel, not the owner of the Prime Minister’s Office.
During his 15 years as the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu’s extraordinary expenditure and lifestyle have attracted attention. In fact, the extravagant gifts he received contributed to one of three criminal cases filed against him in November 2019. Netanyahu denied any wrongdoing in any of these cases and believed that the case against him was politically motivated.
In the four elections held between 2019 and 2021, corruption charges were used to fight Netanyahu during the campaign. In the last election in March, Netanyahu was defeated by a broad coalition led by former protégé turned rival Naftali Bennett.
When the prime minister’s office began to demand the return of unaccounted gifts, these criminal cases surfaced in the background. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had dinner with a national witness, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, in Hawaii last week.
According to reports, Ellison’s name appeared in two cases against Netanyahu. According to reports, he lobbied and persuaded Israeli tycoon Anon Mirchan to abandon his lawyer so that Netanyahu could hire him. Milchan was involved in the gift-giving case against Netanyahu, but Not himself Under prosecution.In another statement, Netanyahu’s spokesperson defended the meeting with Ellison, saying that the dinner Not violated Any Israeli law.
In addition to the suspicious nature of meeting with witnesses in public criminal cases against him, Netanyahu’s Hawaii vacation itself is a manifestation of his taste for luxury.
Jerusalem post Local Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu and Ellison had dinner at Nobu Lanai, a luxurious restaurant on the island of Lanai, Hawaii. The former prime minister and his family also live at the Four Seasons Hotel on the island, and Ellison owns approximately 98% of the hotel. Times of israel.
this Next hearing Netanyahu’s criminal trial will be held in Jerusalem on September 13.
