Gantz: Netanyahu trying to ‘neutralize the gatekeepers’ while his office is being probed for harming security

National Unity chairman Benny Gantz says he has an easy solution to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s problems with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, whom the premier implicitly threatened to fire this afternoon.

“I have a proposal for the prime minister who is looking for a ‘solution’ to the attorney general who is disturbing him and the government ministers,” Gantz tells reporters ahead of his party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset. “Don’t introduce legislation that discriminates between blood and blood, don’t promote a coup d’état” — a reference to the government’s judicial overhaul — “and the attorney general won’t bother you. Deal with the citizens of Israel and their needs, and the ombudsman won’t bother you.

“The fact that, while a serious case of violation of the law and suspected damage to national security is being investigated within Netanyahu’s office, he is engaged in neutralizing the gatekeepers, should bother every citizen of Israel,” Gantz asserts — referring to a case surrounding suspected leaks of classified information by an associate of the prime minister.

“If the rule of law interferes with the prime minister or government ministers, they are invited to move to countries where the government operates without restrictions and brakes,” he continues. “The State of Israel will remain a liberal democracy. We will not allow any harm to the gatekeepers.”

During today’s cabinet meeting, Netanyahu reportedly described Baharav-Miara’s conduct as “oppositional” said he has requested Justice Minister Yariv Levin to prepare a “solution” to the issue.