Senior Prosecutor Calls to Reevaluate Bribery Charge Against Netanyahu Following Judge's Recommendation

A senior official in the Israeli prosecution has stated that the bribery charge against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be reconsidered in light of recent judicial comments. This statement came after Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman recommended removing the bribery charge from Case 4000. The official, speaking to Kan Reshet Bet, emphasized that this recommendation requires a reassessment of the prosecution's approach, noting that while such considerations existed previously, they now carry different weight following Netanyahu's testimony.

Judge Friedman-Feldman's remarks followed a June 2023 decision by the judges to advise the prosecution to drop the bribery charge against Netanyahu, maintaining only the breach of trust charges in Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. During a hearing focused on extending the defense's witness testimony days to five per week, Friedman-Feldman reaffirmed the court's position, stating, "We did not plan to say this, but after hearing the Prime Minister's testimony, our stance as expressed in June 2023 remains unchanged."