Israeli Supreme Court Rejects Appeal to Indict Netanyahu

JERUSALEM — Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday rejected an appeal to charge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with fraud in an influence-peddling scandal that had threatened to topple his government.

In a 4-1 decision, the court ruled that prosecutors had made a “reasonable” decision in April when they found there was not enough evidence to indict Netanyahu.

However, the judges said their decision on the appeal by opposition lawmakers was not a complete exoneration of the prime minister and Justice Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, also implicated in the matter.

“The court says only that the prime minister’s decision and the minister’s behavior are not against the law. It does not say that they are not a violation of ethics,” they wrote.

At issue was Netanyahu’s appointment of a political crony, Jerusalem lawyer Roni Bar-On, as attorney general in January. Police suspect Bar-On was chosen in exchange for political support from Aryeh Deri--leader of Shas, a key party in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition--who allegedly believed Bar-On would act to end his corruption trial. Bar-On quit within 24 hours.

The affair created the most serious scandal of Netanyahu’s year-old government, prompting some Israelis to demonstrate for an official inquiry and others to call for the prime minister’s resignation.

Sunday’s decision was hailed as a vindication by Netanyahu, who has maintained his innocence in the affair since it broke in January.

The court ruled 5-0 against indicting Hanegbi, although the judges questioned whether his behavior was ethical.

In April, police recommended indictments of Netanyahu, Hanegbi, senior aide Avigdor Lieberman and Deri. But state prosecutors decided to charge only Deri, saying they lacked proof for Netanyahu and Hanegbi. The investigation against Lieberman continues.