Explained: The criminal cases against Benjamin Netanyahu | If You’re Listening

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing charges of bribery fraud and breach of trust, and it all came about because of a garbled, barely audible voice recording taken from inside someone's pocket. He should have thought about that, no, that's not it, they made a change, yes, the police found it. It was almost by accident when they were researching something completely different, the sound quality is terrible, but you can make out the voices of Netanyahu and Arnon Moses, the editor of one of the most popular newspapers in the country, they are sitting in the courtyard outside the Prime Minister's House. residence, it starts off innocently enough, they have a little chat about cigarettes.

Netanyahu loves them. Moisés has never smoked one in his life. Neither of them drinks, but they quickly get to work. Netanyahu doesn't like the way he covers Moses' newspaper, yot harot. his government, then Moses makes Netanyahu the author, says: I look you in the eyes and tell you that if we can reach an agreement on this law, I will do everything I can to make sure you stay here as long as you want. Moisés offered favorable news coverage in exchange for Netanyahu's support for a legislative change that would help his media empire become a quidd proquin.

This recording is now key evidence in a

criminal

trial against Benjamin Netanyahu, the man who leads Israel's government. military campaign in Gaza and the Middle East is currently on trial for alleged bribery fraud and trust-bridge charges which he denies Netanyahu is doing everything he can to stay in office because if he stays in office he can't be put in jail, but unlike Donald Trump's vaguely similar situation in the US has an old-school flavor, we'll soon return a fierce battle between media moguls reminiscent of the battles between Rupert Murdoch and Carrie Packer in the heyday of the newspapers this story even involves Carri Packer's son caught right in the middle is Australian billionaire James Packer.

It's a funny story, but Netya, whose tangle with the law could change the fate of war in the Middle East, knows me and this is if you're

listening

. So how did Netanyahu get there? In this mess, let's get acquainted with our main characters BB and no sorry, Israelis love nicknames Benjamin Netanyahu aka B and Anon Moses is almost always called no no Moses no Moses no Moses no Moses was born into a family of High-flyers whose main game was news, his father Noah was the editor of the Daily Newspaper yot harot newspaper, which means breaking news, but Non's life was marked by three horrible traffic accidents.

The first was when he was a child, his older brother was hit by a bus and died in the second. His father was teaching him how to drive when he lost control of the car and hit a 10-year-old girl, killing her father. one of Israel's most influential people was sentenced to a year in prison and served 5 months after his release. He did not join the family newspaper as a sports reporter and was groomed to take over what had by then become by far the most read newspaper in Israel, but the third car accident interrupted his apprenticeship the day before his Father Noah went on vacation.

He thought he would come over one last time to check that everything was okay at the paper, since Noah was crossing the street outside. He was hit by a bus and killed at the age of 33. He did not become editor of Israel's largest newspaper and continued revenue during the 1990s during which time the newspaper became an enemy BB the man who came to the prime minister's office for a small raise in 1996 The Israelis They had gone to bed thinking that Shimon Paris would make him their next prime minister when they woke up he looked more like Benjamin Netanyahu now baby Netanyahu was already famous in Israel due to his family's history of being involved in incredible hostage rescue missions BB was also a well-established right-wing figure in Israel and yot harut was a centrist newspaper that put them at odds less than a year after Benjamin Netanyahu became prime minister, he was first charged after a lengthy investigation, police recommended that Netanyahu was accused of a corruption scandal, but the prime minister refuses to resign and Yot Harut informed him every step of the way.

News that Israel's right-wing prime minister could be indicted has shaken the country to its core, but the newspaper was even more interested in stories about the prime minister's private life. The minister and his wife Sara, were portrayed, are being indulgent in living a life of luxury at the expense of taxpayers. BB's weight gain was commented on. An investigation was published about them renovating their private home and then passing the bill to the taxpayer. Police allege Netanyahu incurred a $150,000 plus bill for work on his private residence that they allegedly attempted to pay from government coffers. They also published a story that said the taxpayer was shelling out $3,100 a month for Netanyahu's cigarettes in 1999, when BB lost the election and left office, the newspaper said.

That he and his wife took a lot of stuff, one couple is accused of keeping hundreds of gifts worth almost $200,000 received when Netanyahu was prime minister. Police say the items, which reportedly include plates, rugs and a gold letter opener, are the property of the couple. They claim the couple were repeatedly dragged to police stations for questioning. These accusations are completely unfounded, possibly politically motivated, but I am absolutely confident that the Attorney General will close this case because we did nothing wrong and he did it again and again. that there was not enough evidence to prosecute Netanyahu, hurt BB and the almost constant press coverage of his mistakes only made things worse.

BB tried to return to power in 2006, but it wasn't even close to Benjamin Netanyahu being the big loser in this poll. B's story could have ended there, but fate gave him a new car. Something happened that would make the BB star rise again and torpedo the knowledge of Moses' life's work in 2007. American casino magnate and Republican party mega-donor Sheldon Adelon wanted to get more involved. In politics in Israel he did not like the way the sitting prime minister was handling relations with the Palestinians. He wanted BB Netanyahu back, but BB had a reputation problem, so how do you change the hearts and minds of the Israeli people?

History is changed. He launched his own newspaper Israel iom H or in English Israel today and began operating it unlike any other newspaper in the free world. You have losses, a massive loss like you lose 20-30 million dollars a year here, first of all, it's free, just take it and you don't get paid, it also undercuts its competitors' advertising prices and unlike most the world's free newspapers, has a large, well-paid staff, but losses were not a problem. Adon simply invested money from the Las Vegas casino because he did the only work he needed. support BB Netanyahu no matter what within 2 years of the founding of Real Israel I had accomplished two things: it ended Haronnot's 40-year run as the most popular newspaper in Israel and took first place, furthermore Benjamin Netanyahu has begun the task of forming a new government BB had returned to the top job and loved every minute of it.

He and Sara spent time hanging out with billionaires, rubbing shoulders with world leaders, and living the good life. This was where they belonged. Israeli Hollywood film producer Arnon Milon was his greatest benefactor. He initially gave them gifts of cigars, champagne and clothes and then, finally, he simply told Netanyahu that they could ask his personal assistant for whatever they wanted. In 2014, Milchin introduced the couple to Australian billionaire casino magnate James Packer, and the gifts kept coming. Mr. Packer became part of Mr. Packer bought a million-dollar beachfront mansion in Israel, right next door to Mr. Netanyahu's private home.

Adon had brought BB back to power, but Moses' newspaper was not collateral damage. He wasn't furious. Not only was Netanyahu thriving despite his newspaper's attempts to bring him down, he was also getting good coverage in the newspaper he was having lunch with. Netanyahu says Moses didn't tell him he had destroyed the legacy of generations of the Moses family, it's his life's work, he started a campaign to try to force Israel to compete on a fair playing field with the other newspapers he took a law to the Israeli Parliament that would prohibit the free distribution of full-size daily newspapers now, obviously, Netanyahu was not going to support this, but then no Moses and BB Netanyahu met on the balcony of the prime minister's residence and no Moses said yes We can reach an agreement on this law, that is, the law to ban entry into Israel, I will do everything I can to make sure that he stays here as long as he wants, that is, he stays in office immediately.

Netanyahu seemed to seize the opportunity; he named several columnists who he thought were biased against him. Moisés says that if Netanyahu can recommend some friendlier columnists, he will hire them. The conversation continues for three more hours. The footage is so awful it's difficult. to discern what they are saying in some parts, but the sentiment was clear, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, interestingly, nothing came of The Saga, the I Am Israel law didn't pass and I continued to attack BB consistently. Noni and BB remain. bitter enemies, but investigators believe this may not be the first time such a quid pro quo has been offered to Netanyahu.

They have also found evidence of a similar arrangement with a completely different meteorite. Positive coverage in exchange for regulatory changes. These conversations. These apparent agreements. are what BB is on trial for right now, Netanyahu is alleged to have made a deal to boost a newspaper's business in exchange for favorable coverage, and also James Packer and another billionaire have been questioned over lavish gifts, yes those gifts from James Packer and Anon Milchin, there are no allegations of wrongdoing against James Packer, but BBY is accused of trying to cut Milton's taxes, change regulations to benefit him, and get Milton a long-term US visa network.

He denies any wrongdoing, but many of his opponents have argued that he should resign as Prime Minister while he fights corruption charges in court, so why is he still Prime Minister? Well, that's where this goes from a disgusting story of political corruption to a story of global importance that is shaping the conflict in the Middle East. Let's see staying in office as the Prime Minister increases his chances of getting out of jail, but staying in office has proven difficult. The accusations against BB have left him with few friends in the center-right of politics, so he has allied himself with extremists on the far right of Israeli politics.

Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ushered in the most right-wing government in the country's history Netanyahu's far-right cabinet has been accused of pursuing policies that have compromised Israel's security and fueled tensions with neighboring countries the conflict between Israel and Hamas is costing thousands of lives and the risk of open war The war with Iran escalates as Netanyahu's trial drags on