Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally indicted on charges of accepting bribes, fraud, and breach of trust in connection with three separate scandals. The indictments on Thursday mark the first time in the 71-year history of the nation’s current incarnation that a sitting prime minister has been charged with a crime.

Netanyahu accused political opponents of an “attempted coup.” Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, and claims he is the victim of a “witch hunt” launched by political adversaries. If convicted of the crimes he’s accused of, Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison for the bribery charge and three years for the fraud and breach of trust charges.

“I give my life for this state, I fought for it, I was wounded for it. I have to say this is a very hard day,” Netanyahu said in a nationally televised address. “I think you need to be blind to see that something wrong is going on. This is a political coup.”

https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/34115-attempted-coup-netanyahu-indicted-on-charges-of-bribery-fraud-and-breach-of-trust