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WORLD NEWS Thursday 3 OcTOber 2019
Netanyahu’s legal saga reaches critical stage in Israel

By JOSEF FEDERMAN last month, neither Netan- fell short of mustering a par-
Associated Press yahu nor his chief challeng- liamentary majority in favor
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prose- er, Benny Gantz, secured of granting him immunity
cutors began a pre-indict- the required parliamentary from prosecution.
ment hearing for Prime Min- majority to form a new gov- The hearing is expected to
ister Benjamin Netanyahu ernment. last at least four days, and
on Wednesday, opening a Both men have expressed it could take weeks for the
critical stage in a lengthy support for a unity govern- attorney general to render
legal saga that threatens ment as a way out of the his final decision. However,
to end the career of the deadlock. But they remain legal experts say the likeli-
long-serving Israeli leader far apart on who should hood of an indictment is
and has paralyzed the lead it and what smaller high, given the mountains
country’s political system. parties would join them. of evidence collected by
Netanyahu’s lawyers sat Gantz and his centrist Blue police over years of inves-
down with Attorney Gener- and White Party have so far tigations and the prosecu- Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, right, shakes hands with Israeli
al Avichai Mandelblit for 11 rejected a partnership with tion’s seeming consensus Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Wednesday,
Sept. 25, 2109. The office of the president says Netanyahu has
hours of discussions that will Netanyahu, citing his legal of pursuing a trial. been given the task of forming a new government.
determine whether crimi- woes. A failure to reach a Israel’s president, Reuven Associated Press
nal charges will be pressed deal could trigger an un- Rivlin, is responsible for des-
against the prime minister precedented third election ignating a politician to try has indicated he will give slim. There are deep divi-
in a series of corruption in less than a year. to form a coalition, and up before then if he feels sions among Gantz’s po-
cases. If formal charges Netanyahu is desperate to last week, he selected Ne- he can’t reach a deal with tential coalition allies, and
are filed, Netanyahu, who stay on as prime minister, a tanyahu, believing he had Gantz. Gantz would likely Netanyahu’s Likud party
denies any wrongdoing, post he can use as a pulpit the best chance of suc- be given a chance to form has so far rejected his de-
could come under heavy as he tries to fend off any cess. Netanyahu has up to his own coalition, though mand to have Netanyahu
pressure to step down. charges. Israeli law requires six weeks to do so, but he his odds of success appear replaced as party leader.q
Mandelblit already has Cabinet ministers to step
recommended that Netan- down if charged with a
yahu be indicted on fraud, crime. But the law is vague
breach of trust and bribery for sitting prime ministers,
charges in three cases. Un- meaning he could theo-
der Israeli law, Netanyahu retically remain in the post
is entitled to plead his case if he is indicted, though he
at a hearing in a last-ditch would likely face calls to
attempt to persuade pros- step aside.
ecutors to drop their case. For this reason, his oppo-
Netanyahu did not appear nents accuse him of stalling
at Wednesday’s hearing, in unity talks and pushing
sending instead a high- for another election, which
powered 10-member legal would allow Netanyahu to
team. As they entered the remain as prime minister
Israeli Justice Ministry, his for at least another three
lawyers ruled out a plea months. Late Tuesday,
bargain and expressed Gantz abruptly called off a
confidence that the charg- planned meeting with Ne-
es would be dropped. tanyahu.
"We are going to present “One man is holding the
not only the evidence ev- country hostage,” said
eryone is aware of but also Yair Lapid, a top Blue and
new evidence. We are White leader. “One man is
sure that once we present doing everything to lead us
our findings there will be to elections: Benjamin Ne-
no choice but to close the tanyahu.”
case," Netanyahu attorney The allegations against Ne-
Amit Haddad said. tanyahu include suspicions
After Wednesday’s mara- that he accepted hun-
thon session ended, Netan- dreds of thousands of dol-
yahu’s lawyers told report- lars of champagne and ci-
ers they were confident gars from billionaire friends,
they would be able to re- offered to trade favors with
fute all charges. a newspaper publisher and
Throughout the day, Netan- used his influence to help a
yahu took to social media wealthy telecom magnate
to make the case for his in- in exchange for favorable
nocence, defiantly pledg- coverage on a popular
ing that the case against news site.
him would “fall apart.” Netanyahu has called the
Netanyahu’s legal woes lie allegations part of a witch
at the heart of a deadlock hunt, lashing out against
that has left the country the media, police, prosecu-
with a caretaker govern- tors and the justice system.
ment. In national elections In last month’s election, he