Israeli police 'have sufficient evidence to charge Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery'

Prime Minister accused of accepting gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels

Mr Netanyahu's government recently announced more than 11,000 new settler homes in the West Bank as well as the retroactive legalisation of 4,000 "outpost"Jewish homes built on private Palestinian land (AFP/Getty Images)

Israeli Police believe they have enough evidence to charge Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, according to a new report.

The Prime Minister and his wife are accused of accepting gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels, in what has been dubbed Case 1000.

Among the alleged donors is billionaire film producer Arnon Milchan, who purportedly gave cigars and champagne to the premiere over a seven to eight-year period.

Reports suggest that after receiving the gifts, the Israeli Prime Minister lobbied then US Secretary of State John Kerry on Mr Milchan's behalf while he was trying to acquire a new US visa.

Sources told Channel 10 – which first reported the story – that prosecutors had not decided on what charges to file against the Prime Minister, who is also accused of breach of trust.

Under what has been named Case 2000, Mr Netanyahu is under investigation for allegedly offering commercial favours to Israeli newspaper owner Arnon Mozes in return for more positive coverage.

Mr Mozes owns Yedioth Ahronoth – one of Israel's biggest newspapers. Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have offered to cut the circulation of Israel Hayom, a pro-Netanyahu newspaper owned by US billionaire and Republican Party donor Sheldon Adelson, if Mr Mozes told his paper to be more favourable towards the Prime Minister.

Mr Netanyahu was questioned for four hours in relation to both cases for the fifth time on Thursday. According to TV reports, investigators intend to question him at least twice more on the matters.