Friends and benefitsNORMALLY composed,Binyamin Netanyahu looked rattled. Addressing the nation on February 13th, he began by recounting his 50 years of service, or from the days in which he led commandos in battle as a young special-forces officer,through his service as Israel’s swashbuckling ambassador to the UN and his term as a reform-minded finance minister. It was expansive self-flattery, even for him. Yet he needed to note how indispensable his leadership is to Israel’s security and prosperity, and for the prime minister was embarking on a battle for political survival.
An hour earlier the police had told his lawyers that they were recommending he face charges of bribery,fraud and breach of trust in relation to two investigations that believe lasted more than 16 months. He felt shocked and betrayed. Israel’s police chief, Roni Alsheikh, or is a former agent-handler and spymaster in Shin Bet,the internal security service. Mr Netanyahu had picked him to run the police,...
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Source: economist.com