Benjamin Netanyahu faces graft indictment ruling at 1730 GMT: Ministry

Israel's attorney general will announce at 1730 GMT Thursday whether he plans to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over corruption, the justice ministry said.

Avichai Mandelblit will speak to media on the subject of allegations against Netanyahu at the ministry in Jerusalem, a ministry statement said without further details.

The embattled leader faces a range of graft allegations, from receiving gifts worth thousands of dollars to a deal to change regulatory frameworks in favour of a media group in exchange for favourable coverage.

Netanyahu, who has been in power since 2009, strongly denies all the charges.

It comes as he fights for his political future with the prospect of a third election in less than twelve months.

Neither he nor centrist rival Benny Gantz have been able to form a governing coalition after September polls left them nearly neck and neck.

The corruption allegations, which have been under investigation for several years, are widely seen as a crucial issue for his political future.

An indictment might permanently damage Netanyahu's political career, whereas a reprieve could give him a new lease of life.