BREAKING NEWS: Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu indicted on charges of Bribery, Fraud & Breach of Trust...The charges included bribery, breach of trust and fraud. It’s the first decision of its kind against a serving Israeli prime minister.

JERUSALEM, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Israel’s attorney general indicted Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges on Thursday, heightening uncertainty over who will ultimately lead a country mired in political chaos after two inconclusive
elections this year.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit

announced the decision, the first of

Bejamin Netanyahu

its kind against a serving Israeli

prime minister, in a statement and

said the charges included bribery,

breach of trust and fraud. Netanyahu,

who has denied wrongdoing in three

corruption cases, is under no legal

obligation to resign after being charged.

He was due to make a statement at 2030 GMT.

Police recommended in February that Mandelblit file criminal charges against the right-wing prime minister in the long-running investigations dubbed Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000.Netanyahu is suspected of wrongfully accepting $264,000 worth of gifts,
which prosecutors said included cigars and champagne, from tycoons and of dispensing favors in alleged bids for improved coverage by Israel’s biggest selling newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, and the Walla website. Israel’s longest-serving premier could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum 3-year term for fraud and breach of trust.

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller Editing by Mark Heinrich)