Israeli NGO re-submits petition to stop Netanyahu forming government

Israeli civil rights activists again submitted a petition to the Supreme Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, in response to a coalition agreement that would see the indicted premier remain in the role for more than a year.

A legal adviser for the Movement for Quality Government, which submitted the petition, said the non-profit group wanted to prevent Netanyahu from serving as prime minister due to corruption charges.

Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust for allegedly accepting expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen and trying to get sympathetic press coverage in return for favours.

Netanyahu, whose trial was delayed by more than two months, to 24 May, due to the coronavirus, has repeatedly denied the charges.

Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny Gantz, agreed to form a national emergency government on Monday. As part of the agreement, according to both sides, the two men will rotate the prime minister role, with Netanyahu first holding the position for a year-and-a-half before being replaced by Gantz starting from October 2021.

The non-profit group had submitted a similar petition immediately after 2 March elections, but the court dismissed it as premature.

According to Israeli law, a prime minister does not have to resign after being indicted. However, it is unclear whether Netanyahu can be tasked with forming a government. According to Israeli television, the Supreme Court has asked the state for a statement by Thursday. 

Israel has been led by a caretaker government under Netanyahu since the end of 2018. After the country held three elections within the span of one year, Gantz and Netanyahu signed an agreement for a national emergency government on Monday night, ending a political stalemate and decreasing the chances of yet another election.

However, the petition could destroy the coalition before it even gets off the ground: A spokeswoman for Gantz's alliance confirmed that if the high court does rules that Netanyahu cannot serve as prime minister or deputy prime minister, a new election will be called.

According to a spokesman for President Reuven Rivlin, even after Monday's deal, the parliament has until 7 May to nominate a candidate to form a government. That lawmaker then has two weeks to forge a coalition, or else Israel holds its fourth election since April 2019.    (dpa)