Avichai Mandelblit
Israel’s High Court of Justice announces that it will debate the question of whether or not an indicted Knesset member can form a government, giving Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit 48 hours to submit his legal opinion on the issue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now has 30 days to convince the Knesset’s House Committee, which currently has no members, to grant him immunity from prosecution.
Under Israeli law, there are no requirements for a sitting prime minister to resign if they are under criminal indictment. However, other public officials, including cabinet ministers, are required to step down.
“Israel Hayom” survey predicts Likud would win 33 mandates in the new elections compared to Blue and White’s 34, while Yisrael Beiteinu is expected to fall from its current nine Knesset seats to seven.
“I will not allow lies to win,” declared the Israeli prime minister. “I will continue to lead this country, according to the letter of the law.”
His political opponents immediately called for him to resign.
“I think we’re seeing the weaponization of criminal justice for political purposes,” U.S. attorney Alan Dershowitz tells JNS. “In Israel, the attorney general is supposed to be outside of politics.”
Tel Aviv Magistrate’s court judge grants police “measured” search warrants despite “major flaws” in their investigation of the premier’s top media advisers for suspected witness harassment.
Israel’s “prosecution within a prosecution” is “making itself a political player—a player that is not elected by the public,” says Justice Minister Amir Ohana • Mandelblit: “The law-enforcement system will not be dragged into politics.”
The attorney general’s decisions on whether to indict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may determine whether or not the Jewish state is headed to a third election • Bennett: “It’s time for Blue and White to climb down from the anti-Netanyahu tree.”
Sources close to Israel’s President Rivlin say mandate to form government will be passed to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, Israeli media reports • Three arrested during clashes between pro- and anti-Netanyahu demonstrators outside attorney general’s home.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit now has two months to decide whether to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in any or all of three corruption, bribery and breach of trust cases.
