Bibigate
BIBIGATE
Political scandal uncovered in 1997 that touched Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, known as Bibi. On 10 January 1997, Israeli lawyer Roni Bar-On was appointed legal adviser to the government. Two days later, under pressure from political figures, he resigned. On 22 January, Israeli television's channel 1 revealed that Arye Deri, head of the ultra-orthodox party SHAS, had threatened Netanyahu that his party would vote against the 15 January 1997 Hebron Protocol unless he named Roni Bar-On as legal adviser. According to the television report, Deri hoped that with this appointment he would obtain clemency from the ministry of justice in an affair that had been under investigation for several months. The scandal made headlines in all Israeli newspapers and led to a judicial inquiry that created the Bibigate scandal, the first time in the history of Israel that a prime minister was investigated by his own police. Several cabinet members raised the possibility of resigning should Netanyahu be found guilty. On 15 April, the Israeli police recommended indictment of the prime minister, his justice minister, and others for "abuse of confidence and prevarication." Deri's indictment was also recommended, for "blackmail." On 20 April, the charges against the Israeli prime minister and his close associates were dismissed and on 15 June the Israeli Supreme Court declined to prosecute Netanyahu, for "lack of proof."
SEE ALSO Deri, Arye;Netanyahu, Benjamin;SHAS.