Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu indicted on bribery charges
Long-standing leader accused of fraud, breach of trust and bribery charges by the country's Attorney General
Battle lines in Israel’s deadlocked political system are expected to be sharpened after Benjamin Netanyahu was charged in a corruption case.
The serious allegations laid against the prime minister appear to have already dashed slim hopes for a unity government following September’s election, paving the way for an unprecedented repeat vote in March – which would be the third in less than a year.
In an angry speech on Thursday evening after the charges were announced, Mr Netanyahu lashed out at investigators and vowed to fight on in the face of an “attempted coup”.
His main opponent, the centrist Blue and White party, called on him to “immediately resign” from all his cabinet posts, citing a Supreme Court ruling that says indicted ministers cannot continue to hold office.
Mr Netanyahu also serves as minister of health, labour and Diaspora affairs, as well as acting minister of agriculture.
He is not legally required to step down as prime minister, but he faces heavy pressure to do so, and it is unclear whether an indicted politician could be given the mandate to form a new government.
Mr Netanyahu has already failed to form a majority coalition of 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset after two hard-fought elections this year.
Columnist Amit Segal wrote in Israel’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper: “This will not be an election, it will be a civil war without arms.
“There is a broad constituency that believes what Netanyahu said yesterday, but it is far from being enough for anything close to victory.”
Writing in the same newspaper, Sima Kadmon compared Mr Netanyahu to the Roman emperor Nero, saying “he will stand and watch as the country burns”.
Mr Netanyahu was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust stemming from three long-running corruption cases.
He has denied any wrongdoing and accused the media, courts and law enforcement of waging a “witch hunt” against him.
The corruption charges will weigh heavily on Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party in future elections, but it is unclear if any senior member has the support or willingness to replace him.
Hours before the indictment was announced, Gideon Saar, a senior Likud member, said a party primary should be held ahead of any future election and that he would compete.
But there are several other leading members of the party, and it is unclear if any one of them can gain enough support to topple its long-time leader.
Some Likud members expressed support for Mr Netanyahu after the indictment was announced, but most have remained silent.
Amid all the political machinations, Mr Netanyahu will have to prepare to go on trial. He can battle the charges, or he might seek a plea bargain in which he agrees to resign in return for avoiding jail time or hefty fines. Either process could drag on for months.
Mr Netanyahu is Israel’s first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime. His predecessor, Ehud Olmert, was forced to resign a decade ago ahead of a corruption indictment that later sent him to prison for 16 months.
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