Binyamin Netanyahu is lauded as a master politician — and he will need all his skills to escape his current predicament.

The prime minister stands accused in three different investigations — Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. The latest charges, announced last week, allege that Netanyahu received bribes from businessman Shaul Elovitz, the owner of telecommunications giant Bezeq, as well as the media companies Yes and Walla. Police investigators say Netanyahu advanced the business interests of Elovitz and his companies in exchange for positive coverage on Elovitz’s news sites. Investigators also recommend indicting Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, on charges of bribery, deceit, and obstruction of justice.

The latest recommendation for prosecution, in Case 4000, was publicized on the last day of Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich’s term. Earlier this year, Alsheich was denied the opportunity to serve a fourth year in his post, a move by Netanyahu’s government that came after years of the prime minister criticizing the police chief’s conduct. Alsheich made sure to transfer the file to the state prosecutor’s office — with the full cooperation of State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan and Attorney General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit.

Netanyahu kept up the criticism of the various investigations arrayed against him on the first night of Chanukah, when he remarked at a candle-lighting ceremony that “this game” had a “known outcome.”

“It is impossible to expect any other outcome from a process that was completely tainted before it even began,” Netanyahu said. “The next commissioner will have a lot of rehabilitation work to do, because the public trust in the police is far from [high].”

The investigation now lands at the attorney general’s office, where prosecutors will examine the evidence and decide whether to pursue legal action. That process is expected to take about four months. Attorney General Mandelblit, whom Netanyahu appointed to his post, reportedly believes there is substance to all the investigations of the prime minister.

Politically, predictions are mounting that the narrow 61-member coalition government will not last long, and that elections will be held in May, after Independence Day. What effect might all these machinations have on pending legislation, especially the draft law?

The assessment is that in the coming month and a half, Netanyahu will find a way to pass the law together with members of the opposition from Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu, while the chareidi parties will abstain or vote against. Agudas Yisrael has threatened to leave the coalition if certain changes are not made to the draft law text. If that doesn’t happen, Agudah and other chareidi parties may be betting that that after elections and under a new government, likely formed by Netanyahu, a better opportunity to pass a draft law of their liking will present itself.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 738)