Netanyahu charged with corruption

Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday became the first Israeli prime minister indicted while in office. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit formally charged Netanyahu with fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. The prime minister has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, calling himself the victim of a witch hunt.

What does this mean for Israel? It further complicates an already difficult political climate. The country has failed to form a new government since elections in April. On Wednesday, opposition leader Benny Gantz announced he could not put together a ruling coalition of political parties after Netanyahu’s attempt fell apart last month. With no clear leader, the parliament enters a 21-day window during which any lawmaker who can drum up majority support becomes prime minister. If that fails, the country will hold its third election this year.

Dig deeper: Read my report in World Tour about the corruption charges against Netanyahu.