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Sunday, November 24, 2019

ANALYSIS AND BREAKING: Netanyahu faces court, party challenges after indictment

November 24, 2019 22H:27 GMT/ZULU

by Jenny Feder and Biodun Iginla, BBC News and Reuters News Analysts, JERUSALEM (Disclosure: Jenny Feder and Biodun Iginla dated when Jenny Feder lived in New York.)

JERUSALEM - Israel’s top court on Sunday dismissed a petition to order Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside after his indictment on corruption charges.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, November 24, 2019. Sebastian Scheiner/Pool via REUTERS

The four-term conservative leader has pushed back against the indictment and also a challenge from within his ruling party by projecting business as usual, touring the country’s northern frontier and ramping up rhetoric about Iranian threats.

Netanyahu’s indictment on Thursday came amid political disarray in Israel, after neither Netanyahu nor his main challenger, centrist Benny Gantz, secured a majority in parliament in elections in April and September.

Netanyahu has denied the charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and said he will stay in office and defend himself.

Gideon Saar, a rival within the Likud party has challenged Netanyahu saying he would not be able to win another election and called on Likud to hold a leadership ballot.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which petitioned for Netanyahu to step aside, said in its filing to the Supreme Court that the first criminal charges against a sitting prime minister constituted “the crossing of a red line and a grave blow to public trust in ruling institutions”.

The court, however, dismissed the petition to force Netanyahu to resign or temporarily recuse himself from office. It said the watchdog had not yet exhausted other avenues, such as petitioning Netanyahu directly and Israel’s attorney general.

For his part, Netanyahu kept his focus on security and toured the Golan Heights with top military brass.

“I am doing everything needed to carry out government work, cabinet work ... in all necessary ways, to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel and the things that are crucial for Israel,” he said in a video statement.

He reiterated concerns over Iran’s attempt to entrench itself militarily in a number of Middle East countries and said Israel “will act to prevent Iran’s attempt to make Iraq and Yemen bases for rocket and missile launches against Israel.”

But Israeli news coverage remained focused on the political challenge. Commentators said other court petitions could follow.

Gantz’s mandate to form a government - after an unsuccessful attempt by Netanyahu to do so - expired on Wednesday. The next day, Israel’s president declared a three-week period in which lawmakers can nominate one of their own to try to put together a ruling coalition.

Should that fail, a new election - Israel’s third in a year - will be triggered.

Netanyahu’s hope of securing that parliamentary nomination was challenged by Saar.

“There is only one way in which we can save the country, extricate it from the crisis and ensure the Likud’s continued rule - and that is if we go to snap primaries today, within these 21 days,” Saar told Israel’s Channel 12 television.

A less adversarial proposal was launched by a second Likud lawmaker, Nir Barkat, who called for nominating a deputy to Netanyahu who would take his place should he be forced to take a leave of absence.

The head of Likud’s central committee, Haim Katz, said he would meet with Netanyahu to decide on the two proposals.

Saar has previously said he would consider running for the top Likud slot.

While voicing appreciation for Netanyahu’s record-long term and noting he was innocent until proven otherwise, Saar criticized the premier’s attempts to cast his criminal prosecution as a “coup attempt” involving police, prosecutors and the media.

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“Not only is it wrong to say that, it’s also irresponsible to say that. It’s completely out of touch,” Saar said.

The Likud party spokesman dismissed the challenge.

“It is sad to see that while Prime Minister Netanyahu keeps Israel safe on all fronts and works to preserve Likud rule, Gideon Saar, as is his wont, is displaying zero loyalty and maximum subversion,” the spokesman said.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

ANALYSIS AND BREAKING: Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel PM charged with corruption

Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on 20 November 2019 — Image captionNetanyahu denies wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a political "witch hunt"

by Jenny Feder and Biodun Iginla, BBC News Analysts, Jerusalem

Israel's attorney general has charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases.

Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed favours to try to get more positive press coverage.

The prime minister described the charges as an "attempted coup", blaming them on a "tainted" process.

He has also insisted he will not resign and is not legally obliged to do so.

In a televised speech, Mr Netanyahu said authorities "weren't after the truth, they were after me", and called on the country to "investigate the investigators".

Earlier, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said he made the decision "with a heavy heart", but said it showed nobody was above the law in Israel.

"Law enforcement is not a choice. It is not a matter of right or left. It's not a matter of politics," he said.

But the announcement comes amid a political stand-off in Israel following two inconclusive general elections in April and September.

On Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu's rival for the premiership, Benny Gantz, said he had been unable to form a governing coalition with a majority in parliament. He had been given the opportunity to try after Mr Netanyahu had earlier failed to do so.

inRead invented by Teads

Supporters of Mr Netanyahu stand outside the prime minister's residence with signs — Image captionSupporters of Mr Netanyahu gathered outside the official prime minister's residence to protest against the charges

Protesters against Mr Netanyahu outside the prime minister's residence in Israel — Image captionDemonstrators also came out against Mr Netanyahu

President Reuven Rivlin asked lawmakers on Thursday to agree on a candidate for prime minister within 21 days and avoid an unprecedented third election in a year.

After the charges were announced, Mr Gantz tweeted his support for the attorney general and law enforcement agencies, and wrote it was "a very sad day" for Israel.

What are the charges?

Attorney General Mandelblit said in February that he intended to indict Mr Netanyahu in connection with three cases - known as Case 1,000, Case 2,000 and Case 4,000 - pending final hearings that eventually took place last month.

Case 1,000: Mr Netanyahu has been charged with fraud and breach of trust in this case. He is alleged to have received various high-value benefits, including pink champagne and cigars, in return for favours for a wealthy friend. Mr Netanyahu has said they were tokens of friendship and that he did not act inappropriately in exchange for them. The friend similarly denies any wrongdoing.
Case 2,000: Mr Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in this case. He is alleged to have agreed a deal with the publisher of a major newspaper to promote legislation to weaken a rival daily in return for favourable coverage. The publisher has been charged with bribery. Like the prime minister, he denies any wrongdoing. Both men have said they did not intend to promote the matters discussed in their meetings, and the legislation was not passed.
Case 4,000: This is considered the most serious case because Mr Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, as well as fraud and breach of trust. It is alleged that Mr Netanyahu promoted regulatory decisions that favoured a leading telecommunications company in return for favourable news coverage from one of its websites, as part of an agreement with the company's controlling shareholder. The prime minister has insisted experts supported the regulatory decisions and that he received nothing in return. The shareholder, who has been charged with bribery, also denies wrongdoing.

Analysis box by Barbara Plett-Usher, Middle East correspondent

This is a watershed moment for Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu's legal problems have plagued his last few years in office, causing him to focus increasingly on his political survival rather than on governing. They are also one of the reasons for the country's political paralysis.

Mr Netanyahu has been seeking new laws granting him immunity from prosecution. That was one of factors driving the country's last two elections, and one reason why there's been a deadlock in forming a coalition government.

Throughout, the prime minister has categorically denied doing anything wrong. Now he's in a difficult position.

It was thought some of the charges might be reduced, but the attorney general has indicted him on the full count, including the most serious one: bribery.

It is not clear what this means for Mr Netanyahu's future. According to Israeli law, he can stay in office until the final verdict - but his political allies will have to decide whether to stick with him in ongoing coalition negotiations.

Members of the opposition said this was a sad day for Israel, but immediately called on Mr Netanyahu to step down and fight his case in court.

What happens next?

It is unclear what this means for Mr Netanyahu's future.

He is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise, and there is currently no legal barrier to him staying in office as prime minister.

It could take many months before the cases are brought before a district court. And even if convicted, Mr Netanyahu would not be required to step down until the appeals process was exhausted - something that could take years.

However, correspondents say many will question the prime minister's ability to handle affairs of state if he is simultaneously defending himself in court.

Non-governmental organisations may petition the Supreme Court to force Mr Netanyahu to resign. The court has previously ruled that a cabinet minister charged with a crime must step down or be removed from office, and it would have to decide whether that should also apply to the prime minister.

Allies of Mr Netanyahu in parliament may seek to pass legislation that would grant him immunity from prosecution while in office, and allow lawmakers to overrule a possible Supreme Court ruling reversing that immunity.