After a seven-month investigation that has involved 100 officers, Israeli police recommended yesterday that the former prime minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, be prosecuted on fraud and corruption charges.
In a recommendation that now goes to the Attorney General, Mr Elyakim Rubinstein, for approval or rejection, the police claimed that Mr Netanyahu sought to keep hundreds of gifts worth $100,000 that were presented to him as prime minister and should have remained state property when he was voted out of office last May.
For this and other alleged offences, they want him charged with fraud, attempted misuse of state funds, breach of trust and obstruction of justice. The investigators are also calling for his wife, Sarah, to be prosecuted for theft.
Mr Netanyahu, who was questioned time and again by the police and had his home searched by them, adamantly denied any wrongdoing. In a robust television interview last night, he accused the police of mounting a biased investigation and making "baseless" allegations, said he had been entitled to store the gifts for transfer later to his office as an ex-prime minister, and stressed that the "absurd police recommendation" to indict him meant nothing.
His lawyer said if Mr Rubenstein decided to prosecute, he looked forward to a decisive victory in court.
The former prime minister is in exalted company as a police suspect. President Ezer Weizman is also under investigation, for financial mis-dealings; the Prime Minster, Mr Ehud Barak, is entangled in a campaign finance inquiry; and one of Israel's top rabbis is being investigated for alleged incitement against a government minister.
If charges are brought, the affair would destroy Mr Netanyahu's hopes for a rapid political comeback. Although he lost power by a landslide to Mr Barak last year, support for him is still high on the Israeli right, and his Likud party has looked rudderless under his ageing successor, Mr Ariel Sharon.
However, as Mr Netanyahu stressed last night, police recommendations have been frequently disregarded by the prosecuting authorities in the past, including in his own case.