Israeli court rejects Netanyahu's appeal on indictment

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel's top court has rejected a petition to postpone a decision by the attorney-general on the indictment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on graft allegations until after the April polls.

Last week, Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said that he would decide whether or not to indict Netanyahu on multiple graft charges before Knesset elections slated for April 9.

Yossi Fuchs, a former activist of Netanyahu's Likud party, filed a petition with the court in an effort to postpone Mandelblit's decision until after the vote, but the petition was rejected by the court.

The plaintiff "intervenes in a dispute that is not his, and is not the right person to file this petition," Justice George Karra wrote in the ruling.

According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Netanyahu’s lawyers are now considering filing their own petition against Mendelblit in the High Court.

Netanyahu is currently under investigation in three separate corruption cases, in which he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for Netanyahu and his wife.

The second relates to an alleged deal for favorable media coverage with Arnon Mozes, publisher of prominent Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

In a third case, Netanyahu is accused of awarding favors to Israel’s Bezeq Telecom Company in return for favorable coverage on the company’s website.