# Possible Israeli political scandal re: Netanyahu **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716 "2017-01-09T14:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/1 "2017-01-09T14:25:13Z")
Story [here](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/oy--33). In short, there are reports that Netanyahu made a deal with a newspaper for favorable coverage in exchange for reduced competition from a competing paper owned by a Netanyahu backer. I think this would be illegal in the US – I assume also in Israel, if it turns out to be true. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/2 "2017-01-09T14:27:00Z")
I’m against it! ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/3 "2017-01-09T14:37:08Z")
Why do you hate Israel. Netanyahu is at - at very best - sociopath, anything is possible. Anyway, it was the Russians. Last week it was the Chinese and next week it’s North Korea, or Iran i.e the Axel of Evel Knival, etc. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/4 "2019-02-28T23:57:02Z")
Updating this thread: \*\*Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to be indicted on corruption charges, pending hearing \*\* > **[Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu to be indicted on corruption charges, pending...](https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/28/middleeast/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-indictment-intl/index.html)** > > Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be indicted on bribery and breach of trust charges arising from three separate corruption investigations, pending a hearing, Israel's attorney general announced Thursday evening. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/5 "2019-03-01T01:03:40Z")
A point an Israeli article I read yesterday made was – of all the corrupt things the public suspects him of having done, THIS is what he gets indicted over? It seems like that’s always how it goes, though – they finally nail crooks for some little mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/6 "2019-03-01T01:25:29Z")
This guy has been the President or Prime Minister or whatever, of Israel, for what feels like my entire life…there’s no way in hell anyone hangs onto power that long without being corrupt as hell. Can’t say I’m in the least bit surprised about this, although I wonder if there will be any real consequences for him; there never seem to be, for these characters. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/7 "2019-03-01T02:14:18Z")
What are the chances Trump will try to pardon him? har har yuk yuk ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/8 "2019-03-01T03:49:49Z")
Witch hunt! Well, at least that what the NPR piece I listened to this afternoon quoted Netanyahu as saying. Hey, I guess he figures if it works for Trump… ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/9 "2019-03-01T05:53:24Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Witch hunt! > > Well, at least that what the NPR piece I listened to this afternoon quoted Netanyahu as saying. > > Hey, I guess he figures if it works for Trump… A more literal translation is “hunting trip”, and the connotation is more like a snipe hunt than a witch hunt, if you know what I mean – it’s implying that they couldn’t find anything to saddle him with, so they’re really reaching for it. We will definitely see what happend! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/10 "2019-03-01T17:22:48Z")
Here’s NPR’s coverage: [Israel's Attorney General Moves To Indict Netanyahu On Corruption Charges : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2019/02/28/698914797/israels-attorney-general-moves-to-indict-netanyahu-on-corruption-charges) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/11 "2019-03-01T19:03:44Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > A more literal translation is “hunting trip”, and the connotation is more like a snipe hunt than a witch hunt, if you know what I mean – it’s implying that they couldn’t find anything to saddle him with, so they’re really reaching for it. Possibly the closest American English idiom would be “fishing expedition”? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/12 "2019-03-01T19:15:23Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Possibly the closest American English idiom would be “fishing expedition”? Oh, that’s actually perfect – מסע I would translate as “journey” or “expedition” over “trip”, so more like “hunting expedition” as a literal translation and “fishing expedition” to pretty perfectly captures the meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/13 "2019-03-01T19:18:21Z")
Just how insulated is the Israeli AG from political pressure? Is this particular AG respected nationally? Could Bibi try to fire him? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-israeli-political-scandal-re-netanyahu/776716/14 "2019-03-01T19:24:58Z")
I do find it fascinating that the US media chose to translate the phrase as “witch hunt”, probably to tie in with Trump. It’s not an unfair comparison, although while Netanyahu is far right for Israel, that doesn’t mean exactly the same thing that it does in the US. For example, Netanyahu takes a very strong stance against global warming. I highly doubt Bibi could fire the AG – he’s surprised me before, though. And I may disagree with his politics, but I can’t deny that he plays the political game like a true champ. So who knows? Maybe he’ll survive this, too.