Netanyahu retreats on immunity bid, formally indicted hours later on corruption charges

The Daily Mail
Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:17 UTC

© Oded Balilty/AP/File

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Nov. 20, 2019.

Just hours after withdrawing his request for immunity from prosecution earlier today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally charged in a Jerusalem court on allegations of graft.

An indictment was filed at the Jerusalem District Court by Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit this morning against the prime minister on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

The court will now set a date for the beginning of the trial.

Netanyahu, who was visiting Washington ahead of the launch of President Donald Trump's long-anticipated peace plan, dropped his immunity request this morning, deciding 'not to let this dirty game continue,' in a statement issued on his official Facebook page.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pictured as he chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem on Sunday. Netanyahu withdrew his request for immunity from prosecution on graft charges this morning, hours before discussions were to begin

Israel's parliament, the Knesset, was set to convene to discuss the formation of a committee to debate the prime minister's immunity request. It's still expected to meet even after the withdrawal.

The Knesset was widely expected to reject Netanyahu's immunity request, which would have dealt a massive blow to the prime minister ahead of the 2 March parliamentary elections - the third in less than a year. Netanyahu's Likud party was planning to boycott Tuesday's Knesset session.

Netanyahu's was indicted on counts of fraud, breach of trust and bribery in November in three separate cases. He has denied any wrongdoing.

'In this fateful hour for the people of Israel, when I am in the United States on a historic mission to design the permanent borders of Israel and ensure our security for decades to come, the Knesset is expected to start another spectacle in the circus of removing immunity,' Netanyahu wrote.

Trump, himself under the cloud of his impeachment trial in the Senate, appears poised to offer Netanyahu some needed help in the form of the most generous American peace proposal ever. The prime minister has sought to portray himself as a global statesman uniquely qualified to lead Israel through difficult times. He has tried to use his close friendship with Trump as a strategic asset to stay in power.

© Associated Press

Israel Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's primary competitor in upcoming elections, speaks during a news conference in Washington yesterday, just after meeting with US President Donald Trump, January 27, 2020

Netanyahu's chief political opponent, Benny Gantz, who leads the Blue and White party, said in a statement that 'Netanyahu is going to trial - we must go forward.'

'Nobody could run a country and simultaneously manage three serious criminal charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust,' Gantz added.

Netanyahu and Gantz are set to face off in a third round of national elections after two inconclusive elections in 2019.

Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint List of Arab parties in the Israeli parliament, said 'the path to trial is paved and no diplomatic public relations stunt in the world' would prevent him from being brought to justice.

Netanyahu and Trump were scheduled to meet later Tuesday at the White House for the peace plan's announcement.

Likud and Blue and White were deadlocked in April and September elections, triggering a third general election within a year.

Netanyahu is to appear alongside Trump to make public the plan to resolve the dispute with the Palestinians, although they say they have not taken part in its drafting and they have fiercely condemned it in advance.

Netanyahu, who also had a meeting with Trump on Monday, praised the president as 'the greatest friend that Israel had had in the White House,' and described the peace plan as 'the deal of the century'.

Nitzan Horowitz, head of the left-wing opposition Meretz party, said Netanyahu's impending trial was 'the shame of the century'.

'The prime minister is indeed making history today, and is accountable for the Shame of the Century - the first serving prime minister standing trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust,' he said in a statement.

Under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister is only required to step down once convicted of an offence and after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.

Comment: RT reports:

In an 11th-hour decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has withdrawn his request to parliament to grant him immunity from prosecution. The move apparently undermines his rival Benny Gantz's US visit.

The statement was published as Netanyahu visited the United States, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to unveil his long-expected 'Deal of the Century', an arrangement that will reportedly bring numerous benefits to Israel and support its policies on Palestine.

The high-profile event will be a boost to Netanyahu, who is facing an unprecedented third snap general election in less than a year, standing against former general Benny Gantz. Washington gave a surprise public relations boost to Gantz - who may become the next Israeli prime minister, should his Blue and White party break the deadlock with Netanyahu's Likud in March - by offering him a separate meeting with Trump on Monday.

Gantz responded to Netanyahu's move, saying the PM is now going to trial.

"Israeli citizens have a clear choice: a prime minister who will work for them or a self-employed prime minister. No-one can run a state and simultaneously run three serious criminal cases for bribery, fraud and breach of trust," he said.

From Al Jazeera:

"Netanyahu hates to be the loser. He wanted the immunity and he wasn't able to get it. He stood no chance. He doesn't have a majority in the Knesset to get the immunity," Eldar said.

The Knesset was still expected to assemble despite Netanyahu's withdrawal of his request to form the committee, which will also address former welfare minister Haim Katz's request for immunity from prosecution in his own corruption cases.

Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint List of Arab parties in the Israeli parliament, said "the path to trial is paved and no diplomatic public relations stunt in the world" would prevent him from being brought to justice.

Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum three-year term for fraud and breach of trust.

Either choice is appalling. Gantz is an equally rabid zionist,, whose selection would make no difference to the suffering of the Palestinians. He just doesn't have the stench of corruption about him that Bibi does, being just a garden-variety Israeli war criminal.