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Israel's attorney general requests extension before fining Netanyahu

Israel's attorney general requests extension before fining Netanyahu
MENA
1 min read
04 June, 2017
Netanyahu had been using public funds for the maintenance of his private households, including cleaning, maintenance and repairs.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu [Getty]
Israel's attorney general Avichai Mendelblit has requested a two month extension from the Israeli high court, before coming to a conclusion on whether Israeli prime minister owes one million shekels in taxes.

Netanyahu had been using public funds for the maintenance of his private households, including cleaning, maintenance and repairs, according to Haaretz.

Mendelblit was first left to deal with deciding on whether the Israeli prime minister, who has an estimated net worth of $11 million must pay back his expenses in 2016.

If the extension is approved, Mendelblit would have an extra year to continue to probe into the case.

This is not the first time Netanyahu faced public scrutiny because of his tax activity. In 2014, it had emerged that between the years of between 1999 and 2003, Netanyahu held a bank account in the tax haven island of Jersey.

The island of Jersey sits on one off the coast of Normandy, and has a corporate tax rate rate of 0 percent. The years Netanyahu’s bank account was based in Jersey was when he accumulated the most wealth.

While evading tax with offshore banking is not illegal in Israel, it is still frowned upon and caused controversy at the time the details were released.