A day earlier than he had intended, and infuriated that his decision had already leaked out, Israel's Attorney General last night formally released his report sparing the former prime minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, from prosecution on bribe-taking and theft charges.
Mr Elyakim Rubinstein, the Attorney General, was highly critical of aspects of Mr Netanyahu's behaviour, in failing for a prolonged period, for instance, to pay substantial bills to a handyman. But he ruled that a lengthy police investigation into the affair had not produced sufficient evidence to justify bribe-taking or other charges.
Similarly, although Mr Rubinstein noted that some 100 gifts presented to the state during Mr Netanyahu's premiership had not been accounted for, he lacked the necessary evidence to press charges against either the former prime minister or his wife, Sara.
Mr Netanyahu, who governed Israel between 1996 and 1999, is expected to mount a political comeback, which would dismay both leaders in his own Likud party and the governing Labour. Likud chief Mr Ariel Sharon, smiling rather stiffly, said he hoped Mr Netanyahu would now join the battle to unseat Prime Minister Mr Ehud Barak.
The Justice Minister, Mr Yossi Beilin, said Mr Rubinstein's report underlined that Mr Netanyahu was "not fit" to be a leader in Israel.