JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's attorney general said on Wednesday he planned to pursue the welfare minister for corruption in one of the fraud cases faced by government officials.
Chaim Katz, 71, faces charges of fraud and dishonesty for allegedly introducing legislation to benefit a businessman who managed his investments based on insider information, a Justice Ministry statement said.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's decision follows a long-running investigation into Katz's dealings with businessman Mordechai Ben-Ari.
Katz is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and has been in his cabinet since 2015.
Netanyahu himself faces possible corruption charges in the coming months on suspicion of fraud, bribery and dishonesty in non-Katz cases. The Israeli prime minister denies all charges, describing them as attempts by his enemies to remove him.
The attorney general announced his intention to indict Netanyahu pending an expected hearing in early October, weeks after the general elections on September 17 next year.
The police also recommended that two other ministers in his government be charged.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri is accused of fraud and dishonesty in an investigation into the sale of real estate.
Separately, police have recommended that Deputy Health Minister Jakov Litzman be charged on suspicion of trying to prevent the extradition of a woman facing trial in Australia for child sexual abuse.
The prosecutor has yet to decide whether to charge Deri and Litzman.
In June, a court convicted Netanyahu's wife, Sarah, of using public money to pay for meals, as part of a plea bargain under which more severe charges were dropped.