Senior opposition MK: PM must step down if indicted

A leading member of the opposition Zionist Union faction said Saturday that Benjamin Netanyahu must step down as prime minister if he is indicted as a result of the ongoing criminal investigations against him, because he would not be able to fulfill his duties while fighting to clear his name.

Speaking at a cultural event in the Tel Aviv suburb of Givat Shmuel, MK Shelly Yachimovich said that despite voicing their support for the prime minister and maintaining that he does not need to resign if an indictment is served, members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition concede privately that he would be forced to give up the premiership in such a scenario.

“Even in the Likud they know that the moment an indictment is presented, the prime minister will be obliged to step down,” Yachimovich said in reference to Netanyahu’s ruling party, according to Army Radio.

Under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister does not have to resign if indicted, unlike government ministers who must step down if charged with a crime. However, a number of opposition MKs — such as Yachimovich — have stated that if Netanyahu is charged, he should resign as prime minister, as he would not be able to manage his responsibilities as Israel’s leader and fight a court case simultaneously.

There are two ongoing police investigations in which Netanyahu is considered a suspect.

Case 1000 revolves around alleged illicit gifts given to Netanyahu and his family from billionaire benefactors, most notably hundreds of thousands of shekels’ worth of cigars and champagne said to have been given to the prime minister and his wife Sara by Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.

Netanyahu and his wife are said to have denied that receiving the gifts constituted a criminal offense, claiming the value of the items was significantly lower than reported and that they were mere “trifles” exchanged between close friends

Case 2000 is focused on an alleged clandestine quid pro quo deal made between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher and owner Arnon “Noni” Mozes, in which the prime minister is said to have promised Mozes he would advance legislation to reduce the circulation of Yedioth’s main commercial rival, the freebie Israel Hayom, in exchange for friendlier coverage from Yedioth. No such deal was ever implemented. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.

Last week, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that Netanyahu should not resign if indicted, noting the difference when he himself was forced to step down as foreign minister due to corruption charges, before returning to the post in 2013 after being acquitted.

“Regarding the prime minister, it is absolutely not the same thing. The moment the prime minister resigns, there is political drama,” he said. “If he asked me, I would recommend that he stay on even if he were to be indicted, and manage the trial from his position as prime minister.”

A number of other prominent government ministers have also echoed Liberman’s statements that Netanyahu should not resign if indicted, including Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), who according to his aides said in January “[one] doesn’t bring down a government over cigars,” referring to the high-end cigars the prime minister allegedly received from Milchan.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.