Israel PM Netanyahu's wife charged with $100,000 meal fraud
EPA POOL/AFP/File / ABIR SULTANAn Israeli prosecutor has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara, seen here at a ceremony commemoratinng the Six-Day War of 1967, with fraud and breach of trust after a long probe into allegations she falsified household expenses
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara was charged Thursday with fraud and breach of trust after a lengthy police probe into allegations she falsely claimed meals worth $100,000, the justice ministry said.
The move represents the latest legal headache for leader Netanyahu and his family, as the authorities investigate the combative premier over allegations of corruption in a string of eye-catching cases.
The justice ministry announced that "the Jerusalem district prosecutor a short time ago filed charges against the prime minister's wife".
The ministry said Sara Netanyahu was accused of falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the prime minister's official residence and ordering "hundreds of meals from outside caterers at public expense".
From 2010 to 2013 Netanyahu, her family and guests received "fraudulently from the state hundreds of prepared meals (each including a number of courses) to the value of 359,000 shekels ($99,700)", the indictment read.
Netanyahu, a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his lengthy time at the helm, has denied any wrongdoing.
According to the charge sheet, the meals were ordered from a variety of well-known Jerusalem establishments, including an Italian restaurant, a Middle Eastern grill joint and a sushi establishment.
The trial is set to be held at the Jerusalem magistrates court, with the prosecution requesting it to be held before a panel of three judges due to the "public sensitivity" of the case.
- Husband's legal woes -
The legal woes come as Netanyahu's husband himself is under the microscope on suspicion of a series of corruption offences.
In one case, the prime minister and his family are suspected of receiving one million shekels worth of luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery from wealthy individuals in exchange for financial or personal favours.
In another case, investigators suspect the premier of trying to reach an agreement with the owner of Yediot Aharonot, a top Israeli newspaper, for more favourable coverage.
Netanyahu has protested his innocence and vowed to remain in power, saying he is the victim of a "witch-hunt".
He also faces suspicions of government favours that allegedly saw regulatory breaks go to Israel's largest telecom firm Bezeq, in return for favourable coverage of him and his wife by a news website.
Last week he was questioned as a witness in a probe of alleged corruption over the state purchase of three German submarines.
He is not considered a suspect, but some of his close associates have been questioned several times.
The case centres on alleged graft surrounding Germany's sale to Israel of three submarines manufactured by industrial giant ThyssenKrupp.
Despite his troubles, opinion polls suggest Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party would remain the largest in parliament if elections scheduled for November 2019 were held now.
G7 ambassadors 'deeply concerned' about jailed filmmaker Sentsov
AFP/File / Sergei VENYAVSKYJailed Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov has refused food since May 14 as he demands that Moscow release all Ukrainian political prisoners
G7 Ambassadors said Thursday they were deeply concerned about Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who has been on hunger strike for more than a month as he serves a 20-year term in a Russian prison camp.
"We are deeply concerned about the situation of Oleg Sentsov and other Ukrainian prisoners and detainees in Russia," the countries' ambassadors to Kiev said in a joint statement released via Twitter.
"Their release, as part of a broader bilateral exchange of detainees, would be an important humanitarian step forward," it said.
The US Embassy in Kiev urged Russia to act as the eyes of the international community are on the World Cup host country.
"With the world watching the World Cup, Russia should allow access to all Ukrainian prisoners, including film director Oleg Sentsov, who is in his 2nd month of a hunger strike in a Russian prison," the embassy tweeted.
On Thursday Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin via telephone, the leaders' second call in the past month.
Poroshenko again urged the Kremlin to free Ukrainian political prisoners and underlined the importance of allowing Kiev's rights ombudsman access to all of them, but especially to hunger-striking Sentsov.
The Kremlin said that during the call, initiated by Kiev, the sides touched on the topic of prisoner exchange and visits by monitors from each country to the other's prisons.
The 41-year-old Sentsov has refused food since May 14 as he demands Moscow release all Ukrainian political prisoners.
Major figures from Russia and abroad have called for Sentsov's release, including US author Stephen King and Oscar-nominated director Andrei Zvyagintsev.
Sentsov, a pro-Ukrainian activist and documentary director, was detained in Crimea in 2014 after Russia annexed the peninsula on accusations of masterminding arson attacks.
Sentsov denied the allegations but was found guilty on terrorism charges and is serving a 20-year sentence in Russia's far north.
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