For the first time in the history of Israel, the country’s top law enforcement officer has decided to indict the man at its helm. On Feb. 28, following a complex investigation spanning more than two years, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced that he had decided to serve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom he had worked as cabinet secretary, with three criminal indictments. In Case 4000, concerning ties between Netanyahu and communication tycoon Shaul Elovitch, he’ll be charged with bribery, and in Case 1000 and Case 2000 concerning benefits received from wealthy businessmen and the positive media coverage, he’ll be charged with fraud and breach of trust.

Netanyahu's official indictment is now pending a hearing. His supporters are latching onto the word “hearing,” telling themselves that everything could still turn around and Mandelblit’s decision is not final. In fact, Mandelblit is highly unlikely to change his mind after Netanyahu and his lawyers respond to the suspicions laid out in detail over 57 pages. He took every possible precaution and raised the evidentiary bar to unprecedented heights before making his decision. He played it safe, cutting Netanyahu extensive slack. That Mandelblit went ahead and issued his recommendation to indict Netanyahu despite intense pressure to hold off until after the upcoming Knesset elections on April 9 attests to his confidence in the outcome.

Israel is in the throes of a series of earthquakes. The first struck on Feb. 21, when Yesh Atid and Israel Resilience united to form the Blue and White Party. Two other former army chiefs — Moshe Ya’alon and Gabi Ashkenazi — joined them in a bid to form a credible threat against Netanyahu. For the first time in ages, Netanyahu found himself lagging in the polls. The second tremblor — the long-awaited announcement — was the more powerful and its aftershocks continue. The third will take place when Israelis go to the polls on April 9. It will be followed by the winner’s efforts to form a coalition government, and then by Netanyahu’s hearing. A decision by a beleaguered Netanyahu to quit politics while he stands trial on charges of bribery would be the ultimate quake, the perfect storm about which we have been talking for several years, ending the Netanyahu era in Israeli politics. Will it end before or after Netanyahu breaks the record this summer as Israel’s longest consecutive serving prime minister? Right now, no one knows.

Netanyahu is in the fight of his life, waging simultaneous battles on three fronts. The legal front is the most threatening and has the most destructive potential: Netanyahu must have finally realized that his career could end like that of his predecessor Ehud Olmert — in jail.