Interior Minister Aryeh Deri says his Shas party will back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lead the country after the April 9 elections, even if the premier is indicted in any of the three corruption cases in which he is embroiled.
In November, police recommended Deri himself be indicted on a slew of corruption charges, including alleged fraud and money laundering committed while in office.
Speaking at the launch of his ultra-Orthodox party’s election campaign in the Knesset, Deri says Netanyahu can stay in office as long as he is legally allowed to do.
The legal question is unclear. Israeli law forces a prime minister to resign only after he or she is convicted, but courts have ruled regarding other ministerial posts that ministers may be required to resign once indicted.
“We completely support Benjamin Netanyahu and will only recommend him for prime minister,” Deri says, “even if there is an indictment, as long as the law permits him. Prime Minister Netanyahu knows that we are his mostly faithful and sure partners, the members of the Shas party,” he continues. “We did not threaten him or turn on him. We were more faithful partners to him than some members of Likud.”
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
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