The Israeli opposition urged the Knesset on Sunday (January 5th) to quickly consider the request for immunity for Benjamin Netanyahu. This could speed up legal proceedings against the Prime Minister, accused of corruption.
Netanyahu, in the running for the March 2 legislative elections, last week asked the Knesset to grant him immunity, but the formation of a new parliamentary committee to assess this request should not take place until after the elections.
Its rival Benny Gantz’s Blue White party announced on Sunday that it had the support of a majority of deputies (65 out of 120) to ask a parliamentary committee to study immediately the request of the Israeli prime minister.
If this committee does not recommend immunity, the request will be dismissed. But if he does not object, the deputies can be assembled to decide on the latter.
Respondent in three cases
The problem, for Mr. Netanyahu, lies in the fact that with his allies he does not have the majority of seats in the parliamentary committee or in the Knesset.
The possible rejection of his request for immunity should speed up the proceedings against him for " corruption ", "Embezzlement" and " breach of trust " in three different cases with the risk of a trial at the height of the election campaign.
Knesset spokesperson confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday that committees and parliamentarians could "Discuss and decide on the request for immunity". The decision to form or not a parliamentary committee now belongs to the president of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, himself a member of Likoud (right), the party of Mr. Netanyahu.
Put your political allegiances aside
Edelstein sought advice from Parliament’s legal counsel on Sunday not whether a committee could deliberate, but whether it had "Authority" to form this committee, a step prior to discussions, reported his spokesperson. "After receiving this notice, Mr. Edelstein will announce his decision" whether or not to form the committee, said his spokesperson.
But the Blue White party of ex-army chief Benny Gantz urged the Speaker to put aside his political allegiances and endorse a request supported by a majority of MPs. "Mr. Edelstein, you were elected president of the Knesset, not chief of cabinet of Mr. Netanyahu, and you must act accordingly" in "Convening a parliamentary committee to discuss the request for immunity", argued the training.
