Netanyahu indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust

Israel's attorney general indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a range of corruption charges including bribery and fraud on Thursday, the country's justice ministry announced.

Avichai Mandelblit has "decided to file charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for offences of receiving a bribe, fraud, and breach of trust", a ministry statement said.

The decision is expected to have a wide-reaching impact not just on the embattled leader but on Israeli politics in general, as the country has been without a government for nearly a year due to political infighting.

Neither Netanyahu nor his centrist rival Benny Gantz have been able to form a coalition government following deadlocked elections in September, with the country edging closer to a third election within twelve months. 

Rightwinger Netanyahu, who has been in power since 2009, is Israel's longest-serving prime minister and dominates the country's political scene.

- Range of allegations -

In February, Mandelblit had announced his intention to indict Netanyahu on charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, following up on police recommendations.

In May he extended until October a deadline for Netanyahu's...