Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu could be fired

According to reports in the Israeli press, the Supreme Court announced that it will hold a hearing to consider a petition demanding that Netanyahu be removed from the post of prime minister, for “violation of the conflict of interest agreement.”

Judge Ruth Ronnen recently ordered a review of the application by a panel of judges. It is not known when the delegation will meet.

The petition, filed by an activist group called the “Democratic Trench” including former chief of staff Dan Halutz, who opposes the government’s controversial settlement, argues that Netanyahu violated a “conflict of interest agreement” with the Supreme Court.

“CONFLICT OF INTERESTS”

The conflict of interest agreement that Prime Minister Netanyahu signed with the chief justice in 2020 includes a commitment not to interfere in legislative matters on the grounds that it could affect ongoing corruption cases against him.

On the other hand, Netanyahu made statements in recent months that he would be involved in the controversial judicial regulation, after which Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara assessed that the prime minister’s statements and his subsequent intervention in the legislation were “illegal and They violated the conflict. agreement of interest”.

THE NETANYAHU CORRUPTION CASE

The “judicial reform” announced by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin on January 5 includes changes such as limiting the powers of the Supreme Court and the power to have a say in judicial appointments.

The extreme right-wing government headed by Netanyahu insists on approving the regulations, which the political and social opposition consider a “blow to democracy”, despite the massive protests and strikes that have been taking place for months across the country.

Israel’s Attorney General’s Office charged Prime Minister Netanyahu with bribery, corruption and abuse of power in 2019. The case against Netanyahu is still pending before Israel’s Central Court in Jerusalem.

Under Israeli law, the prime minister does not have to resign unless formally indicted by the Supreme Court. However, this situation led to 5 consecutive elections in Israel in 4 years.

The last elections returned Netanyahu to power in the last days of 2022, at the head of the cabinet described as the “most right-wing government” in the history of Israel. (AA)