Israel's top court hearings commence to decide if Netanyahu will be disqualified as premier

Israel's top court hearings commence to decide if Netanyahu will be disqualified as premier
Israel's Supreme Court started hearings on Sunday to decide if Netanyahu will be allowed to form a government as prime minister under criminal charges.
2 min read
03 May, 2020
Netanyahu was indicted earlier this year on charges of accepting bribery and committing fraud [AFP]
Israel's top court convened on Sunday for a televised hearing to decide on Benjamin Netanyahu's eligibility to serve as prime minister due to bribery indictments.

The Israeli High Court of Justice will also decide whether other controversial aspects of the Netanyahu-Gantz coalition deal are constitutional.

The two-day hearings commenced on Sunday, broadcast live in an unprecedented move, with an extended panel of eleven justices, who were shown wearing surgical masks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

While the sessions on Sunday are allocated for petitions against Netanyahu, Monday's hearings will examine petitions contesting the Netanyahu-Gantz coalition – a political agreement between Likud Party Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) Party leader Benny Gantz.

Comment: The Netanyahu-Gantz coalition farce

The two-day hearing will examine eight separate petitions seeking to declare the coalition illegal. According to Israeli media reports, one of the petitions was filed by a former ally of Gantz, Yair Lapid – now head of the opposition party Yesh Atid.

Despite bribary indictments, Netanyahu was not subjected to a previous ruling which called for indicted cabinet members to step down. According to Haaretz, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit said the ruling does not apply to a premier due to the "more significant role of a prime minister."

Netanyahu – who has been in power since 2009 – and ex-military chief Gantz faced off in three inconclusive elections in less than a year, before reaching the controversial three-year coalition deal now being challenged in court.

If the high court rules in favour of any of the eight petitions, Israeli political analyst Arsen Ostrovsky said Israel will be forced to hold a fourth election.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing after being indicted earlier in 2020 on charges of accepting bribery, committing fraud and breaching the trust of Israelis.

On Saturday, hundreds of Israelis demonstrated against the deal in Tel Aviv, the latest in widescale protests against a unity government.

The hearings precede Knesset's deadline to name a prime minister on Thursday from among its ranks or call new elections.

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