Netanyahu negotiating plea deal in corruption trial

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File pic/AP

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating a plea deal in his corruption case, a person involved in the talks said Sunday.

The deal, which could be signed as early as this week, could usher Netanyahu off the Israeli political stage for years, paving the way for a leadership race in his Likud party and shaking up Israel's political map.

Any deal would also absolve Netanyahu of an embarrassing and protracted trial that has gripped the nation and risks tarnishing his legacy.

A spokesman for Netanyahu declined to comment.

Netanyahu is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. The former premier, now opposition leader, denies wrongdoing. The person involved in the negotiations said the plea deal would drop the bribery and fraud charges and scrap one case entirely. The person asked for anonymity because he wasn't authorised to discuss the details of the talks.

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