Israel’s attorney general announced Thursday that he intends to indict Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of corruption allegations – the first time a sitting prime minister in the Jewish state faces criminal charges.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit informed Netanyahu’s lawyers that he intends to indict the prime minister on charges including bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases.

The actual filing will depend on the outcome of a hearing in which Netanyahu, who is seeking a fourth term, can try to persuade the AG not to indict him. The hearing is expected to take place after the April 9 elections.

A defiant Netanyahu – who has been prime minister since 2009 and served a previous term between 1996 and 1999 – has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and called the allegations a media-orchestrated witch hunt aimed at kicking him from office.

He remains deadlocked in the polls, 40 days before Israelis go to vote.

Mandelblit announcement came shortly after Netanyahu’s Likud party petitioned the High Court of Justice to have it delayed until after the elections.

Avi Halevy, the ruling party’s chief legal adviser, said that allowing Mandelblit to publicize his decision so close to the elections would be an “unprecedented interference” in the democratic process, according to the Times of Israel.

But the court shot down the petition.

The Justice Ministry said there was no legal cause for a delay, saying that the attorney general had always planned to announce his decision “as soon as he had completed the work on the cases.”

The Likud party released a pre-emptive video Thursday in which it slammed the AG’s expected announcement as “an attempted political hit job.”

The clip repeated many of Netanyahu’s talking points against the corruption probes, calling them a “house of cards” that will collapse during the hearing process.

Despite opposition calls for Netanyahu to step down, Likud and his other nationalist coalition partners have supported him — all but ruling out sitting in a government led by his primary opponent, Benny Gantz, the retired chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Mandelblit’s decision could either galvanize Netanyahu’s hard-line supporters who consider him as a victim of an overzealous prosecution or turn more moderate backers against him because of persistent accusations of corruption and hedonism.

While Israeli prime ministers are not required by law to resign if charged, the prospect of a prime minister facing a criminal trial while running the country would be unchartered territory.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert served time in the slammer for corruption, but had already resigned by the time he was charged.

President Trump, with whom Netanyahu has forged a close relationship, offered the Israeli leader a vote of confidence in the hours leading up to the announcement.

“I just think he’s been a great prime minister and I don’t know about his difficulty but you tell me something people have been hearing about, but I don’t know about that,” Trump said in response to a question in Hanoi, where he was holding a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“I can say this: that he’s done a great job as prime minister. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s strong,” he said.

Netanyahu rushed back to Israel on Wednesday from a diplomatic mission to Moscow, where he met President Vladimir Putin, to prepare for his expected rebuttal to the charges.

In the so-called “Case 1000,” he is accused of accepting bribes in connection with gifts worth $300,000 from business executives.

In Case 2000, Netanyahu allegedly agreed to promote a bill to restrict the circulation of the Yedioth Ahronoth daily’s main competitor, Israel Hayom, in exchange for favorable coverage.

And in Case 4000, he allegedly influenced regulatory decisions that netted hundreds of millions of dollars for the Bezeq telecom company in exchange for positive coverage on its subsidiary news site Walla.

The most serious allegations involve his “bribe-based relationship” with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of the telecom giant.

Police recommended an indictment based on evidence collected that Netanyahu’s confidants promoted regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Bezeq.

Officials say they believe there is enough evidence to charge Netanyahu and his wife Sara with accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust.

They also recommended charges be brought against Elovitch, members of his family and members of his Bezeq management team.

Former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has come to Netanyahu’s defense, publishing an open letter to Mandelblit in which he warned that an indictment against the prime minister ahead of elections would undermine the democratic process.

“I’m very worried for freedom of the press and freedom of government in Israel if they start indicting people for trying to get good coverage from the media,” he told Israel’s Army Radio.

“I don’t know of any other country that has criminalized trying to get good coverage and make that a basis of bribery or any other corruption investigation.”</s>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called corruption allegations a "witch hunt" meant to topple him after the attorney general announced plans to indict him.

Speaking in a televised statement a couple of hours after the attorney general's announcement, Netanyahu said he planned on being prime minister for a long time to come despite the allegations.

"The left knows it cannot beat us at the polling booth, so for the past three years they have been carrying out an unprecedented witch hunt which has one aim: to topple the right-wing government which I lead," he said.

In the statement from his official residence that lasted about 20 minutes, Netanyahu's voice seemed to break with emotion as he spoke of his family, which he said had been smeared by the investigations.

Standing before a campaign banner reading "Netanyahu Strong Right", he mentioned his relationships with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as being good for Israel.

He alleged his political opponents "applied unceasing and inhuman pressure on the AG so that he would say that he is considering laying charges against me, subject to a hearing, even though it is clear that there is no substance".

"The main thing was to influence the elections, even if we know that this house of cards will completely collapse after the elections," Netanyahu said.

The attorney general's announcement comes ahead of April 9 elections in which Netanyahu is facing a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by a former military chief of staff, Benny Gantz.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said in a statement earlier Thursday that he intended to indict the premier for bribery, fraud and breach of trust pending a hearing, where Netanyahu would be given a chance to defend himself before charges are filed.</s>Benjamin Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and insists he has no intention of resigning

Israel's attorney general has said he intends to indict prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges.

Mr Netanyahu is suspected of accepting gifts, including cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen and dispensing favours in return for favourable media coverage.

It is the first time a serving Israeli PM has been put on official notice of a planned prosecution.

He could face up to 10 years in jail if convicted of bribery and a maximum three-year term for fraud and breach of trust.

Police had recommended indicting the 69-year-old politician for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases.

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Attorney general Avichai Mandelblit announced his decision after more than two years of investigations.

Image: Attorney general Avichai Mandelblit announced his decision after more than two years of investigations

The latest development comes just six weeks before a closely-fought election on 9 April, in which Mr Nethanyahu is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office.

The actual filing of charges will depend on the outcome of a hearing, which could take place after the contest.

At the hearing, the right-wing leader could try to persuade the attorney general not to indict him.

Mr Netanahu denies any wrongdoing and insists he has no intention of resigning.

He has called the allegations a media-orchestrated witchhunt aimed at removing him from office.

And his Likud party has described the looming indictment as "political persecution".</s>Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is set to be indicted on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges, just six weeks ahead of April’s general election, a decision that could severely his chances to secure a fifth term in office, the Guardian and other outlets are reporting.

Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s long-awaited decision is expected to materialize on Thursday, pending a hearing, according to a source with direct information about the Mandelblit’s decision, reports CNN. The charges arise from three separate corruption cases.

As per Israeli law, Netanyahu has the right to defend himself in a pre-trial hearing before charges are formally filed in court, according to the Guardian report, though it is unclear whether that process will begin before the election of April 9. However, the weight of the announcement throws serious doubt over Netanyahu’s political future, the report notes.

The prime minister has previously pledged not to resign if indictments were brought forth, which suggests Netanyahu’s coalition partners will likely have to decide whether to support a leader who is headed for indictment, or withdraw their support and risk alienating their shared right-wing voter base, CNN argues. At the same time, Netanyahu’s opponents will likely look to exploit this heightened sense of damage to the prime minister’s reputation, the report further argues.

Netanyahu, who is the country’s second-longest serving premier, is not required to step down if indicted under Israeli law, CNN points out. He is required to resign only if he is convicted on the alleged crimes and if that conviction is upheld through the appeals process, which generally takes years.

Netanyahu has repeatedly and vehemently denied any wrongdoing, including on Wednesday evening when a statement was released on his behalf, following a day of heightened speculation in Israeli news media. In the statement, the prime dismissed the prospect of a possible bribery charge as “ridiculous.”

According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu has contended he is the victim of a witch hunt brought forth by the left-wing opposition with the support of the left-wing media and a biased police force. As per the report, Mandelblit was appointed by Netanyahu himself, though the prime minister now calls the attorney general “weak” for caving into the left’s pressure.

If Netanyahu is indeed indicted, it would mark the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged with a crime, according to The Los Angeles Times.

When asked about Netanyahu’s forthcoming indictment, Trump said he doesn’t know about any of it, Vox reporter Aaron Rupar tweeted early Thursday.</s>JERUSALEM – Israel’s attorney general was expected to deliver a much-anticipated decision Thursday on whether to indict Benjamin Netanyahu on a series of corruption allegations, a momentous move that looks to shake up Israel’s election campaign and potentially spell the end of the prime minister’s illustrious political career.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s aides said he was prepared to announce his decision after more than two years of intense investigations and deliberations. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.

Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases. Mandelblit is expected to inform Netanyahu’s lawyers he intends to indict pending a final hearing, though the exact charges are not yet clear. The hearing is expected to take place after the April 9 elections.

An indictment would mark the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged with a crime. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert served time in prison for corruption, but had already resigned by the time he was charged.

Netanyahu doesn’t look to go that quietly. He denies any wrongdoing and calls the various allegations a media-orchestrated witch hunt aimed at removing him from office. He has vowed to carry on and is deadlocked in the polls, 40 days before Israelis go to vote.

In a last-ditch effort to prevent the public release of an indictment, Netanyahu’s Likud party petitioned the Supreme Court to have it delayed until after the elections. But the court rejected the request Thursday afternoon, potentially clearing the way for an announcement from the attorney general.

Despite opposition calls for Netanyahu to step down, Likud and his other nationalist coalition partners have lined up behind him thus far, all but ruling out sitting in a government led by his primary opponent, retired military chief Benny Gantz.

While Israeli prime ministers are not required by law to resign if charged, the prospect of a prime minister standing trial while simultaneously running the country would be unchartered territory.

Mandelblit’s decision could either galvanize Netanyahu’s hard-line supporters who see him as a victim of an overzealous prosecution or turn more moderate backers against him who have tired of his lengthy rule tainted by long-standing accusations of corruption and hedonism.

Either way, the upcoming elections appear to be morphing into a referendum on Netanyahu as he seeks to become the longest serving premier in Israeli history. Netanyahu have been prime minister since 2009 and served a previous term between 1996 and 1999.

President Donald Trump, with whom Netanyahu has forged a close connection, offered the Israeli leader a boost ahead of the expected announcement.

“I just think he’s been a great prime minister and I don’t know about his difficulty but you tell me something people have been hearing about, but I don’t know about that,” he said in response to a question in Hanoi, where he was holding a summit with the leader of North Korea.

“I can say this: that he’s done a great job as prime minister. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s strong,” Trump said.

Netanyahu rushed back Wednesday from a diplomatic mission to Moscow, and a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, to prepare for his expected rebuttal to the charges on Thursday.

The most serious allegations against Netanyahu involve his relationship with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Israel’s telecom giant Bezeq. Police recommended an indictment in the case based on evidence collected that confidants of Netanyahu promoted regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Bezeq. In exchange, they believe Netanyahu used his connections with Elovitch to receive positive press coverage on Bezeq’s popular subsidiary news site Walla. Police have said their investigation concluded that Netanyahu and Elovitch engaged in a “bribe-based relationship.”

Police say they believe there is sufficient evidence to charge Netanyahu and his wife Sara with accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust. They also recommended charges be brought against Elovitch, members of his family and members of his Bezeq management team.

Police have previously recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in return for favorable coverage.

Alan Dershowitz, a prominent American lawyer, has come to Netanyahu’s defense, publishing an open letter to Mandelblit in which he warns that an indictment against the prime minister ahead of elections would undermine the democratic process.

“I’m very worried for freedom of the press and freedom of government in Israel if they start indicting people for trying to get good coverage from the media,” he told Israel’s Army Radio. “I don’t know of any other country that has criminalized trying to get good coverage and make that a basis of bribery or any other corruption investigation.”</s>Benjamin Netanyahu is be be indicted in three corruption cases

The Israeli leader, 69, is reportedly accused of crimes including bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

He is suspected of wrongfully accepting gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensing favours in alleged bids for favourable coverage by a newspaper and a website.

Israeli TV reported this afternoon that the country’s attorney general intends to indict Mr Netanyahu following a series of long-running investigations.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) - The Latest on decision to indict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges (all times local):

Israel's attorney general says he has decided to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a series of corruption charges.

Avichai Mandelblit said Thursday he has accepted the police recommendations to file charges against Netanyahu in three different cases, pending a final hearing.

In a Justice Ministry statement, Mandelblit says he plans to charge Netanyahu with bribery for promoting regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to telecom giant Bezeq in return for positive press coverage in Bezeq's popular subsidiary news site Walla.

He will also charge Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust in two other cases. The first involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in return for favorable coverage.

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing. He called a press conference for Thursday evening.

Israel is awaiting the attorney general's decision on whether to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a series of corruption allegations.

Avichai Mandelblit is expected to announce his decision on Thursday, after more than two years of intense investigations and deliberations.

An indictment would mark the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged.

Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases. Mandelblit is expected to inform Netanyahu's lawyers he intends to press charges pending a final hearing for the suspect.

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and calls the allegations a media-orchestrated witch hunt aimed at removing him from office. He has vowed to carry on and is deadlocked in the polls ahead of the Apr.9 national elections.</s>JERUSALEM — Israel is awaiting the attorney general’s decision on whether to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a series of corruption allegations.

Avichai Mandelblit is expected to announce his decision on Thursday, after more than two years of intense investigations and deliberations.

An indictment would mark the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged.

Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three different cases. Mandelblit is expected to inform Netanyahu’s lawyers he intends to press charges pending a final hearing for the suspect.

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and calls the allegations a media-orchestrated witch hunt aimed at removing him from office. He has vowed to carry on and is deadlocked in the polls ahead of the Apr.9 national elections.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's attorney general recommended indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust on Thursday in a series of corruption scandals that have dogged his recent years in office and overshadowed his current re-election campaign.

The scandals have engulfed Netanyahu's family and his inner circle, with at least three former close confidants turning state's evidence and testifying as a witness against him. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit says he has sufficient evidence to press charges against Netanyahu in three separate cases, pending a pre-indictment hearing where Netanyahu will be given the opportunity to defend himself. His political opponents, and indeed the entire country, have been eagerly awaiting the decision of Mandelblit - a Netanyahu appointee - with the April 9 election day fast approaching.

Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, have long been saddled with a penchant for expensive tastes and questionable use of public funds. Mrs. Netanyahu has been indicted for graft, fraud and breach of trust for allegedly overspending more than $100,000 in public funds on private meals at their official residence.

However, polls have consistently shown Netanyahu to still be the public's preferred candidate to be prime minister and he remains deadlocked in the polls, 40 days before Israelis go to vote.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the allegations as a media-orchestrated witch hunt aimed at removing him from office. With the indictment, however, and the prospect of a sitting prime minister standing trial, the election has become a referendum on Netanyahu as he seeks to become the longest serving premier in Israeli history.

Here's a look at the current cases facing the longtime Israeli leader:

The most damaging case involves an influence-peddling scandal in which two of Netanyahu's closest aides are testifying against him on suspicion of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israel's Bezeq telecom company. In return, Bezeq's popular news site, Walla, allegedly provided favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his family. Nir Hefetz, a former Netanyahu family spokesman, and Shlomo Filber, the former director of the Communications Ministry under Netanyahu, cut deals with prosecutors after they were arrested along with Bezeq's controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch, his wife, son and other top Bezeq executives. Former journalists at the Walla news site have attested to being pressured to refrain from negative reporting of Netanyahu. Mandelblit said he recommends charging Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

Police recommended indicting Netanyahu over accepting nearly $300,000 in gifts from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. Police say that in return for lavish gifts that included jewelry, expensive cigars and champagne, Netanyahu had operated on Milchan's behalf on U.S. visa matters, tried to legislate a generous tax break for him and sought to promote his interests in the Israeli media market. Police have not commented on what Packer, who reportedly sought Israeli residency status for tax purposes, may have received, and Netanyahu has said everything he received were gifts from friends. Longtime aide Ari Harow is a state witness in this case. Mandelblit recommends charging Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust.

Police have also recommended indicting Netanyahu for supposedly offering a newspaper publisher legislation that would weaken his paper's main rival in return for more favorable coverage. Netanyahu reportedly was recorded asking Arnon Mozes, the publisher of the Yediot Ahronot daily, for positive coverage in exchange for helping to weaken Israel Hayom, a free pro-Netanyahu newspaper that had cut into Yediot's business. Israel Hayom is financed by Netanyahu's American billionaire friend Sheldon Adelson and largely serves as the prime minister's mouthpiece. Netanyahu has noted that a proposed law to weaken Israel Hayom never passed and that he had even dissolved his coalition and called a new election in 2015 because of his opposition to the proposal. Harow is a state witness in this case, too. Mandelblit recommends charging Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust.

Netanyahu was questioned, but not named as a suspect, in a probe related to a possible conflict of interest involving a $2 billion purchase of German submarines that implicated some of his closest associates. Netanyahu's personal attorney, who is also his cousin, represented the German firm involved and is suspected of using his influence over the prime minister in return for a hefty cut of the deal. Israel's Supreme Court rejected a final appeal Thursday to question the prime minister under warning, saying there was no basis for suspecting Netanyahu in the scandal.</s>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on public corruption charges after a two-year investigation and less than six weeks before the nation’s general election, Israel’s attorney general announced Thursday.

Netanyahu — who is currently serving in his third consecutive term as prime minister and fourth overall — faces one count of bribery and two counts of fraud and breach of trust, NBC News reported.

The most serious charge alleges Netanyahu provided regulatory concessions to Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder in Bezeq telecommunications, in exchange for favorable media coverage from Bezeq’a news site, called Walla, according to Haaretz.

The prime minister is also accused of accepting gifts from wealthy business figures in exchange for political favors.

Another charge centers around an alleged deal with Arnon Mozes for favorable news coverage in return for supporting legislation to damage the newspaper Israel Hayom, owned by American businessman Sheldon Adelson.

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“I’m very worried for freedom of the press and freedom of government in Israel if they start indicting people for trying to get good coverage from the media,” Dershowitz told Army Radio, according to The Times of Israel.

“I don’t know of any other country that has criminalized trying to get good coverage and make that a basis of bribery or any other corruption investigation.”

Israeli law professor Said Avi Bell told NBC News that the indictment inserts law enforcement into the nation’s politics “in an unprecedented way, and on a very shaky legal foundation.”

Netanyahu’s Likud Party responded to the indictment announcement, saying in a statement that “there is nothing” to the cases.

The party accused “the media and the left” of pressuring a “weak” attorney general into the decision. “No one is surprised by the announcement.”

The statement further claimed that “the witch hunt against the prime minister began with an attempt to hit him with four bribery cases. Even before the hearing, three of those have collapsed.”

Asked about the then-anticipated indictment announcement, President Donald Trump told reporters in Vietnam that he did not know about the specific charges.

“I think he’s been a great prime minister,” he said.

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“He’s done a great job as prime minister,” the president added. “He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s strong.”

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The Attorney General of Israel Avichai Mandelblit says that after more than two years of investigations he has decided to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.