Israeli democracy has for years been called into question by critics because of the country's occupation of the West Bank.
But corruption scandals swirling around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are further eroding it, polarising the country and tainting its politics and media.
"The amount of rot in the Israeli political system is much greater than we thought," said Gadi Wolfsfeld, a specialist in political communication at the Interdisciplinary Centre Herzliya, near Tel Aviv.
On February 13, the police recommended indicting Mr Netanyahu for bribery and breach of trust in two cases. A final decision now rests with attorney general Avichai Mandelblit.
In one case, known as Case 1000, the prime minister allegedly accepted illicit gifts from two business moguls totalling more than US$250,000 (Dh918,225).
In a second case, known as 2000, Mr Netanyahu allegedly negotiated with Arnon Mozes, the publisher of a leading newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, for favourable coverage of himself in exchange for support for legislation that would have weakened a competitor publication, Israel Hayom.
Mr Netanyahu has rebuffed calls from the opposition to resign, saying he would continue to lead for many years, while his allies made statements impugning the integrity of the police and saying the recommendations are part of a coup against the democratically elected government. His coalition partners backed him up.
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Police suspect Netanyahu associate of trying to bribe judge
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his long list of scandals
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"It's worrisome," Mr Wolfsfeld said. "The coalition holding together despite the police recommending bribery charges against the prime minister wouldn't happen in most western countries. The prime minister would be forced to resign, but now Netanyahu's supporters are suggesting that even if indicted by his own attorney general he will still stay in power. This is a precedent that harms Israeli political culture. It means that leaders who are under suspicion can continue to serve unless they are indicted and maybe even unless they go to prison."
Mr Netanyahu is serving his fourth term as prime minister, with his main political legacy being the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank in contravention of international law and advancing Israeli annexation of that territory.
He has indulged in attacks on the police chief, Inspector General Roni Alsheich. After the latter hinted in a television interview broadcast in early February that Mr Netanyahu had sent private investigators to collect information against police officers involved in his case, the premier accused the top officer of saying "delusional" things and suggested any recommendations made on Mr Alsheich's watch would be biased.
Uri Dromi, former spokesman for Yitzhak Rabin, Israel's assassinated prime minister, said such an approach harms the state.
"Netanyahu pulls down everything to survive. Once you attack the chief of police and question the motive of police investigators, everyone in touch with the police loses confidence. The damage spreads far beyond the Netanyahu cases and undermines public trust in the institutions most important for democracy."
For the first time, major media outlets are an integral part of the corruption scandals. In addition to the Yedioth case, police suspect Mr Netanyahu made a deal to skew coverage of the Walla news website in his favour in exchange for granting regulatory benefits to telecommunications giant Bezeq, whose primary owner, Netanyahu family friend Shaul Elovitch, also owns Walla.
"The media today is serving power more than civil society," said Roman Bronfman, a left-wing former member of the Knesset. "The role of the media should be to watch those in power, not support them." He added, however, that there are also brave Israeli journalists exposing scandals and holding Mr Netanyahu to account.
Anat Balint, an academic and a media analyst for the publication The Seventh Eye, wrote that the Walla Case, known as Case 4000, "is another reminder that not only the politicians and magnates are the central players in these corruption cases". Senior echelons of the media are also involved. "This means the Israeli public gets a mistaken and twisted picture of reality in which there is no possibility of unravelling the distortions and the interests behind them," she added.
But not all observers believe the scandals are damaging Israeli democracy.
"The way all these issues are investigated shows that no one in Israel is above the law," said Yedidia Stern, a scholar at the Israel Democracy Institute.
"Netanyahu, the most important leader in the last generation, is being investigated like anyone else and may be kicked out. The rule of law is quite safe in Israel."
Avraham Diskin, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, added: "I don't think the elected bodies, the Knesset, have been influenced significantly or that trust in the democratic process has been harmed."
He backed Mr Netanyahu's decision not to step down, saying the law clearly requires this only after a final conviction. The key question, Mr Diskin said, is whether Mr Netanyahu's ability to function as prime minister is harmed because of the police recommendations.
"Israel cannot afford a leader who doesn't function. But for the time being he continues to function quite normally," he said.
Anat Berko, a member of parliament from Mr Netanyahu's Likud party, told The National: "You can't convict a person in advance. He is an excellent prime minister, but people with a political agenda are trying to harm him. We will continue to support him every step of the way."
But Yousef Jabareen, an Arab member of parliament, said the ongoing cases "are further proof that Israeli democracy has been corrupted for a long time".
"You can't be democratic in Israel on the one hand and preserve a system of occupation and apartheid at the same time."
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
Sukuk
An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.
The%20specs
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
F1 line ups in 2018
Mercedes-GP Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen; Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; Force India Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez; Renault Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr; Williams Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa / Robert Kubica / Paul di Resta; McLaren Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne; Toro Rosso TBA; Haas F1 Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; Sauber TBA
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20TV%204K%20(THIRD%20GENERATION)
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The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State