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Israeli Attorney General: Netanyahu Can Stay on as PM

VOA News

   Israel's attorney general Avichai Mandelblit says Prime Minister
   Benjamin Netanyahu can stay on as head of government even after he was
   indicted last week for alleged corruption.

   Although Cabinet ministers are required to step down after an
   indictment, the laws about a prime minister are not explicit.

   Mandelblit says Netanyahu can stay in office unless he is convicted and
   all his appeals are exhausted.

   Netanyahu is facing pressure from the opposition to resign after
   Mandelblit announced his indictment last week.

   Netanyahu is charged with allegedly taking hundreds of thousands of
   dollars in cash, cigars, champagne, and jewelry from billionaire
   friends in exchange for personal favors, including helping one wealthy
   friend get favorable newspaper coverage.

   He also is accused of doing favors for a newspaper editor so the prime
   minister himself would receive positive stories.

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