Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves the Muni World conference in Tel Aviv on February 14, 2018. Netanyahu said his government was ‘stable’ and criticized the police investigation against him after detectives recommended his indictment for corruption. Image by JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images

The Israel Police’s recommendation to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an “internal Israeli matter,” the U.S. State Department said.

“The United States has a very strong relationship not only with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but also the Israeli Government. We’re certainly aware of it, but we consider it to be an internal Israeli matter,” State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a press briefing on Tuesday.

The news conference came hours after the police recommended to Israeli prosecutors that Netanyahu be indicted on bribery and breach of trust charges in two alleged corruption cases.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Netanyahu professed his innocence and asserted that he would continue to lead the ruling government coalition.

On Wednesday, an attorney for the prime minister said the total amount of gifts Netanyahu received amounted to less than half of the $285,000 million alleged by police and that they were gifts, not bribes.

Netanyahu is at the center of two probes. In one, known as Case 1000, he allegedly received expensive gifts from supporters in return for advancing their interests, including expensive cigars and champagne from the Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. In the other, Case 2000, Netanyahu is alleged to have conspired with Arnon Mozes, the owner of the Israeli daily Yediot Acharonot, to advance legislation hobbling the free and pro-Netanyahu tabloid Israel Hayom bankrolled by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount