Netanyahu May Be Israel's Enemy Today

Netanyahu in his latest unstatesmanlike statement reacting to the AG accusations against him proves how arrogant and self-righteous he (Netanyahu) is. He is destroying the courts, the police, the left, the media which he failed to control in his attempts to bribe them to print what he desires. He calls it the free press that has been stifled by the opposition. Democracy to Netanyahu is he and his cronies' control of the press to give favourable coverage for his policies at the taxpayers' expense. In his own defence statement live on TV proves that not only is he his own enemy but also Israel's enemy even worse than Hamas, Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad in his attempts to disrupt the law courts, law enforcement authorities, the media and those, who oppose him politically as well as the Arab citizens of Israel who support the Joint List. He has declared war by demanding that those police investigators who questioned him ought to be investigated. He has also played a part in polarizing Israel's people by his disgraceful behaviour over the years during his reign. His reign is coming to a bitter end and he will scream and kick to prevent that from happening. After his hateful, remorse filled speech his defence lawyers should resign from representing him. He attacks the law enforcement authorities and his status has now changed from suspect to being the accused. He should resign and the sooner the better for Israel.

The die is cast and PM Netanyahu’s status from suspected criminal to an accused criminal awaiting trial. His statement after AG Mandelblit was a disgrace and far from being stately. It echoes Bibi’s narcism and his similarity to his favourite president - Donald Trump. Netanyahu’s attack on those who interrogated him saying that the “investigators ought to be investigated” as he, Netanyahu, has been framed and unjustly accused. The biggest problem is the increased ground support that he appears to be getting from his Likud Party and their massive support that the Likud still receives. Netanyahu ought to do the right thing and resign so that he can prove his innocence he claims. How can he represent Israel’s interests being under the accusation of fraud, bribery and breach of trust in three criminal cases? Netanyahu has chosen the path of war against those professional civil servants who carried out their jobs efficiently after perusing thousands of written statements, recordings and reports of state witnesses over a long time. Basically, Netanyahu has declared war on the courts, police, the press, the left opposition and even the Arab citizens of Israel, whose representatives in the Knesset he views as supporters of terror against Israel and failing to recognize Israel’s right to exist. He lies to the public to whitewash his accusations and viewing himself as the victim of a witch hunt orchestrated by Israel’s law enforcement authorities. The reality of the criminal accusations against him has made him declare war against the legal bodies that he is supposed to defend as prime minister. He is, in reality, the enemy of Israel by his unstatesmanlike behaviour against the state bodies that he should be supporting. He is unfit to be prime minister. He must go even if it means dragging him away by being handcuffed and placed under arrest for promoting sedition against the state. After all the accusations are basically the State of Israel vs PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

The accused, PM Netanyahu, is on the warpath in his fight against the law enforcement authorities of Israel. He had given a hint of that concerning the suspicions of his criminal involvement in the various cases mentioned ad nauseam over the last 3-4 years if not more. We now view a threatened accused criminal who proclaims his innocence at all costs, smearing everyone in his path that is carrying out their civic duty to society to combat crime in high places. Bibi, of course, with his wife Sara, and good-for-nothing son, Yair, the author of loutish tweets wreaking with racism are being witch-hunted by the courts, police, the left, the evil media that does not publish nice things about him and his family. Bibi views himself as pure as driven snow and above the law. He is now fighting for his political future using every lie that he can to convince his supporters of his innocence. Bibi must resign - the sooner, the better for all of us!

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The Upcoming Elections on 17th September 2019

The Israeli General Elections are just around the corner.  It is shocking that millions of shekels are being wasted because Netanyahu could not form a coalition. It is also President Reuven Rivlin’s fault as it was incumbent on him to give another Knesset member the chance to form a coalition government. Under the pressure of Netanyahu, in his determination not to lose the elections, the president succumbed to Netanyahu’s desire and new elections, only 5 months after April 9th election, was declared for 17th September. This did go against protocol:

After an election, the President, following consultations with the elected party leaders, chooses the Knesset member most likely to have the ability to form a viable (coalition) government. While this typically is the leader of the party receiving the most seats, it is not required to be so. In the event a party wins 61 or more seats in an election, it can form a viable government without having to form a coalition. However, no party has ever won more than 56 seats in an election; thus, a coalition has always been required.^[3] That member has up to 42 days to negotiate with the different parties, and then present his or her government to the Knesset for a vote of confidence. If the Knesset approves the proposed government (by a vote of at least 61 members), he or she becomes Prime Minister.

As the coalitions often prove highly unstable - given the number and diverse views of the political parties involved - parties (or portions thereof) quite commonly leave them. However, so long as the coalition has at least 61 members (and it is free to recruit from parties not originally in the coalition) it is entitled to remain in power. Such a case occurred with the 19th Knesset: Ehud Barak and four other members left the Labor in 2011 to form the Independence Party, and continued their alignment with Likud, while the remaining eight Labor members remained with the party, but left the coalition; after all the changes, the Likud coalition retained the support of the minimum 61 members, and so, it remained in power. If a coalition fails a motion of no confidence, it ceases to be in power, but only if the motion names a specific replacement to be the prime minister. That individual then has a prescribed amount of time to form a new coalition, and new elections are called if this attempt is not successful (known as a constructive vote of no confidence).^{[11]   (Wikipedia)}

Netanyahu knows that he has the chance of being granted immunity from prosecution in 3 criminal cases of which he is a criminal suspect should he be reelected as PM.

This is the most shallow election campaign since Israel’s establishment and is mostly involved in various character assassination of opposition candidates by the right-wing Netanyahu coalition. Netanyahu, during his long rule, must go down in history as the most polarizing prime minister that Israel ever had. The electorate is tired of elections and many are apathetic as a result. His credibility and that of his shenanigans are questionable. 

PM Netanyahu is a criminal suspect and within a week or two after the elections, he will be granted a hearing by the attorney-general on his suspected crimes. Netanyahu is behaving like a megalomanic cornered rat. He is on the warpath blaming the attorney-general, the press media, the law courts, the police, and, of course, the left. He believes that these institutions and the left are conspiring against him and his beloved wife, Sarah and that twitter “genius” his son, Yair, who tweets such a lot of rubbish without being scolded by his parents for it. 

There are so many important issues at stake and not much mention was made of that by any of the parties standing for election. 

PM Netanyahu is not interested in Israel. He is interested in one personal issue only and that is not to stand trial and being elected as PM is his only chance to gain immunity from prosecution and standing trial. He is dishing out jobs to pals in the Knesset, who are his yes-men/women, including the State-Comptroller. He is also not telling the truth to the Israeli electorate and is a purveyor of “fake news” to increase his support and that of his party. 

There are so many reports in the Israeli media over the elections and there is no point in regurgitating them here. 

We should all bear in mind that a leader of a country who lies to the citizens of whom he is the leader has no respect for the citizens of the country that he leads. Apart from that, it is not in the public’s interest that a candidate to lead the country is a crime suspect. He should have his name cleared from all suspicions before he can be allowed to stand as a candidate for prime minister. Some of Netanyahu's famous lies are accusations of opposition parties, including Israel Beitenu and Kahol/Lavan as "left" who are prepared to sit with Arab parties in a coalition despite their strong denials.

This is an appeal to all citizens of Israel to vote for sanity, democracy, and the end of the Netanyahu regime of neo-fascists, who are destroying Israel’s democracy and replacing it with a regime that polarises the nation and creates divisions in our society that Israel does not need. We must vote for a government that will abolish the racist Nation-State Law 1. and work towards the equality of all Israel’s citizens, irrespective of race, colour or religion. The present government is eroding the laws of the land for their own benefit and not for the benefit of its citizens. We have an opportunity to vote for a change of government for the better of Israel and all its citizens and this also includes moving to end the occupation and moving towards a true peace between Israel and the Palestinians as difficult as it is to achieve. We must also bear in mind that if we vote for a party that may after the elections be part of a Likud Coalition then we have not achieved anything for a change of government.

Reference:

1.  "BASIC LAW: ISRAEL - THE NATION STATE OF THE JEWISH ...." https://knesset.gov.il/laws/special/eng/BasicLawNationState.pdf. Accessed 8 Sep. 2019.

The Decision of Holding New Elections is Absurd and Lacking in Logic

This decision to hold new general elections because Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition government is so absurd and lacking in logic. The deadline for presenting President Ruby Rivlin with a coalition government had passed and Netanyahu’s failure to form a coalition because of Avigdor Lieberman’s refusal to be part of the coalition. Lieberman and Netanyahu dislike each other – the draft law that Lieberman insisted for compulsory conscription of the ultra-Orthodox to the IDF was the so-called excuse. This draft law was unacceptable by the Likud and the ultra-Orthodox parties. The rift between the two men goes deeper than that. There is much speculation in the press as to why the hatred between these two men is so intense.

As expected, Netanyahu has labelled Lieberman as a “leftist” who has joined the Arab opposition. This is such balderdash and typical of Netanyahu, who in his desperation views all his opponents as leftists, traitors, including the media, police force, law courts and the attorney-general, who are out on a witch hunt against him. As has been mentioned many times in the media, Netanyahu is interested in one thing only – not to stand trial for his alleged accusations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Calling for new elections is his way of achieving that goal with a little help paradoxically from the Arab Parties as well. Netanyahu is a genius and he knows how to manipulate his supporters with his lies and deceit.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu

There was a rare unity between Hadash-Taal and the opposition parties at the largely successful demonstration on Saturday night 25th May 2019. What happened? They did not join the opposition and voted with the right-wing to dissolve the Knesset. They are not aware that this move will only strengthen Netanyahu and his right-wing toadies even more.

The mindset of many voters, especially in the periphery, is right-wing and they will not change their allegiance to the Likud and its right-wing parties, including the ultra-Orthodox parties. They have swallowed all Netanyahu’s lies with great enthusiasm and many believe every word of Netanyahu’s mantras. The fact that Netanyahu is accused of breaking the law does not affect their support of Netanyahu, it just strengthens it. These people believe that the witch hunt against Netanyahu is real and they must support him as in their view “Netanyahu is the best prime minister since Israel’s establishment”.

Netanyahu, his right-wing toadies and the ultra-Orthodox Parties will stick by his side once again. He and his party with its macabre mix have incredible support from "Talisman toters and those prostrating themselves in supplication on the tombs of the saints,” to use a quote from the famous Israeli artist, Yair Gabuz, in a speech he made at Rabin Square on the eve of Elections in 2015. In the speech, which took place a mere ten days before the elections, Garbuz spoke of "the handful" and said: "We were told that the despicable man who murdered the prime minister came from a handful of delusional people ... We were told that the yellow-shirted, black symbol-ed ‘Kahane was right’ people, and the 'Death to Arabs!' hurlers, were no more than a handful—a mere handful! ... That the wicked price taggers are certainly a handful ... and they told us that the threatening, disparaging racists do not represent Israeli society at all, that they are only a handful!” Unfortunately, these right-wing purveyors of racial hatred have grown immensely since then and this is Netanyahu’s powerhouse of support. Most of these people that he described are very much alive in the religious extreme right-wing parties - neo-fascist fanatics such as Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Benzie Gopstein and the list goes on not to exclude the parasitic ultra-Orthodox parties who contribute nothing to the country but “religious bullshit” and religious extortion, as well as eternal poverty-stricken Torah students, who do not work or serve in the IDF. The last elections on 9th April, they were very much alive with their poisonous pseudo-religious, hateful rhetoric. They will try to be “Netanyahu’s saviours”. They all share one mantra called “denial” of Netanyahu’s suspected criminality. The peripheral towns are where these types are found and they are enough to get Netanyahu in. Their mentors are racist rabbis that bless and curse at will.

Avigdor Lieberman

The time is now more than ripe for the parties that are left of centre to unite. The last elections have proved that. The Arab Parties are thinking of resuscitating the Joint List in order to win more seats. Perhaps it is time for Meretz to negotiate with the Arab Parties to form an alternative Jewish-Arab List. After all, it was the Arab voters that saved Meretz from losing their Knesset representation. If this is not achieved, Meretz will not be in the next Knesset. An Arab-Jewish Party should be open to all. This new Arab-Jewish Party will gain more support from the Arab communities who show disillusionment with their own representatives resulting in a low voter turnout. Many Arab citizens of Israel with whom I spoke had expressed support for such a move. The emphasis on common Israeli citizenship that embraces all Israel’s citizens irrespective of race, colour or creed will go a long way to achieve a better Israel for its entire people.

The Indictment of PM Benjamin Netanyahu

All of us knew that eventually Netanyahu would be indicted. Netanyahu has a brilliant mind and he knew how to make the most of his status as prime minister (He is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel as well as the wealthiest) for his own creature comforts and that of his wife, Sarah, and his sons. He also tried to manipulate Noni Mozes, editor of Yediot Ahranot for positive press coverage and making the reader pay for Sheldon Adelson’s pro-Netanyahu freebie daily Yisrael HaYom resulting in its readership to drop.

Bibi had the knack for cultivating friendships with tycoons, not so much for friendships but for his own personal gain, whether financial or political.

A recent poll by the Israeli website The Times of Israel predicted that Mr Netanyahu's Likud would lose four parliamentary seats if the prime minister was indicted, while Mr Gantz's coalition, known as the Blue and White Party, could gain enough seats to take the premiership 2.

Israel's attorney general has announced his intention to indict the country's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in three corruption cases 3.

According to the various case indictments (Case 1000, 2000 and 4000), it appears that he was involved in gaining control of the press so that he would be portrayed in a very positive light thus ensuring that his rule would remain indefinite with the support of the masses. As for case 1000, this could be referred to as his creature comfort case with expensive cigars and loads of pink champaign, which the attorney-general viewed as a breach of trust and fraud case. Case 4000 is the most serious of the lot where he was indicted for corruption 1.

His methods of achieving this were based on fear-mongering. He delegitimized the Arab Parties by saying that they wish to destroy Israel and that the left relies on their support to prevent a right-wing coalition from being formed after the election by forming a left-wing bloc.

A leader of a country who has been elected by the voters of that country and lies to the public has no respect for the citizens of the country that voted him/her into power. He only has respect for himself. This is the impression we get from PM Netanyahu. He has been prime minister for close on 13 years if we take his first term into consideration. He uses Israel as one of his possessions and that of his immediate family.

He is behaving like a cornered rat. Cornered rats are known to be vicious and bite in all directions. He tried a gamble that did not pay-off. He knew that the Sword of Damocles was hanging over his head about an upcoming indictment against him so he brought the General Elections forward in order to stymy the receiving of the indictment against him.

By Netanyahu's behaviour, he has crossed the Rubicon so much so that he has been served an indictment by the AG and his status has changed from being an innocent, law-abiding leader to a criminal suspect. Now that he has this new status, he blames everybody but himself for his created predicament. He views himself as a victim of a national witch-hunt orchestrated by the left, the media, the courts and the police, even the AG, who he had appointed, the ex-Police Commissioner, Ronnie Alsheich (also one of his appointees). So where does the left come into the picture? All is a figment of his paranoiac imagination. He is behaving like a cornered rat. He knew that the Sword of Damocles was hanging over his head about an upcoming indictment against him so he brought the General Elections forward in order to stymy the receiving of the indictment against him. This would allow him time to win the elections and hopefully receive a majority in the Knesset to pass a law – an Israeli version of the French Law to grant immunity from receiving an indictment and that charges against him would be dropped. He also used this harangue of his to rabble rouse his supporters in voting for him. General Elections were due to be held sometime in November 2019. If he would have waited until then, the indictment would have been served months before the scheduled election date.

References:

1. Netanyahu charges: Is Israel PM in more trouble now than ever before?
2. 28 Feb. 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/28/benjamin-netanyahu-indicted-corruption-charges-israeli-attorney/. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.
3. 28 Feb. 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/28/benjamin-netanyahu-corruption-charges-decision-expected-today. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.

Commissar of Culture and Sport on a Witch Hunt

Another stab in the back of Israel’s culture by the Commissar of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev 1.  She has been working on the Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, who has the power to withhold budgets for cultural projects.

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) and Culture Minister Riri Regev (Likud) presented an amendment to the current Culture and Art Law bill that would prevent extremists who oppose the State of Israel from receiving government funding for cultural projects 2 Miri Regev does not possess this power. Kahlon succumbed to Regev’s wishes and has given her all the support she needs to curtail cultural projects deemed, in her whims and fancies, not to conform to her agenda.

Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, attends a Culture, Sports and Education Committee meeting at the Knesset, on July 2, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said: "Instead of threatening the cultural world with draconian laws and budget cuts, whose sole aim is political spin, Minister Regev is invited to buy tickets to these films and in this way lend her support for local cinema." 3

She is a racist megalomaniac and an intolerant paragon of Israel’s culture. She views herself as the patriotic censor and watchdog of culture. God forbid, a talented artist, playwright or actor steps out of Regev’s “patriotic” line, the project will be penalized by having state funds withheld. These artists will be accused of “contravening the principles of the State” or the Cultural and Arts Law to be amended in October 2018  that would give the culture minister the authority to retroactively suspend funding for cultural activities that “contravene the principles of the state,” similar to the authority already granted to the finance minister 4.

The principles are such that it will be interpreted according to Regev’s agenda:

1. Denying the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state;
2. Incitement to racism, violence and terrorism;
3. Supporting an armed struggle or an act of terrorism, an enemy state or a terrorist organization, against the State of Israel;
4. Marking Independence Day or the day of the establishment of the state as a day of mourning;
5. An act of vandalism or desecration that violates the honour of the flag of the state or its emblem.

If according to Commissar Regev’s view, any of these principles are contravened, the die is cast - no funding.

We are now being told what we may view as art and culture and what we may not. Our freedom to judge is being usurped. It is Commissar Miri who has the final say. If we do not agree with Miri's taste in culture and do not wish censorship of culture to be imposed, we are a danger to the State of Israel and who knows what the next step will be apart from defunding cultural activities that she deems anti-Israel.

Commissar Miri promotes artists, whose origins are from North Africa. Most of them adore her as she promotes them and makes no bones about their superiority over western culture of which she herself is ignorant. Israel's people is a kaleidoscope of cultures, but her preference is Moroccan Jewish culture as she wishes to live up to her parents' standards in the culture, which is what her parents expect of her. Those, who are not from her origins are viewed as inferior. It is a throw back from the times in Israel's history when Jews from North Africahad been viewed as as inferior. It is the extension of a historical inferiority complex from those early days in Israel's history.This is not very inclusive of all Israel’s people 5.

In practice, any of these principles will be sufficient to withhold funds. Commissar Regev is no democrat. Democracy in her view is her right to clamp mouths of political opponents and to suppress cultural activity that does not conform to her agenda that is part of the Netanyahu Coalition Government. Cultural activity in Israel will not be free but be controlled according to her agenda. If a cultural activity is satirical and delivers a message criticising the government even in a subtle way, it will be deemed treasonable and Commissar Miri’s principles will be applied with great hubris and fanfare accompanying calls to her faithful supporters. Those, who do not tow her line or that of her party are ostracised and viewed as traitors, who wish to destroy Israel and sell Israel to the Palestinians. This has become so ingrained in the right-wing Israeli electorate mind through paranoiac Netanyahu tactics that those, who are left of centre, are fearful of violence against them.

It is indeed a sad day as Israel’s once vibrant democracy is now going through very turbulent times. There are danger signals of the beginnings of Israel becoming a theocracy and that is in itself a further danger to democracy. Israel’s present leadership are waltzing with right-wing regimes such as Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban, is an anti-Semite and had recently received red carpet treatment on a state visit to Israel. The upcoming general elections will not even be a surprise as the right-wing under Netanyahu will form the next coalition and thus be given the green light to move towards fascism. Commissar Miri Regev 6 will be waiting in the shadows to receive a very senior ministerial portfolio that will give her even more power. Much depends of course on whether PM Netanyahu will be indicted before that.

References:

1. "Miri Regev - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miri_Regev. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
2. 21 Sep. 2018, https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Kahlon-throws-support-behind-new-Regev-loyalty-bill-567637. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
3. 17 Sep. 2018, https://www.haaretz.com/life/.premium-regev-pushes-to-nix-funds-for-haifa-festival-over-film-that-undermine-values-1.6489212. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
4.  "Israel's nationalistic 'loyalty in culture' bill passes the legal test - Israel ...." 25 Feb. 2016, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-culture-loyalty-bill-gets-ags-qualified-okay-1.5409115. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
5. "Meet Miri Regev, Israel's Trump in high heels - Israel News - Haaretz ...." https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/trump-in-high-heels-meet-miri-regev-the-big-mouth-of-the-israeli-right-1.5435158. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
6. "Miri Regev - The Atlantic." https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/10/israel-culture-regev-netanyahu-palestine/501245/. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.

Noose is Tightening Around PM Netanyahu & His Cronies

The noose is tightening around PM Netanyahu and his faithful cronies, many of whom are business tycoons, who need his help in further enriching themselves. This is of course at the expense of the Israeli taxpayer. Bibi is as tight as Scrooge and seems to be involved in cupboard love of wealthy business tycoons in order to maintain his decadent lifestyle of luxury. Time will tell when all the investigations against him are completed and the attorney-general comes to a decision once all the evidence is in his hands as to whether Netanyahu will be indicted or not. This will take over a year. If Netanyahu is indicted and found guilty, the possibility of him spending prison time cannot be ruled out.

The Cases under which PM Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected to be implicated is now under police investigation:

1. Case 1000 - the “Champagne - Cigars” File.
2. Case 2000 - The “Noni Moses -Yediot Ahronot, Yisrael HaYom” File.
3. Case 3000 - “Submarine File” - Netanyahu not implicated in this file to date.
4. Case 4000 - “Bezeq communications” file in which close Netanyahu aides have been arrested and Netanyahu is due to give evidence under oath. The investigation will revolve around Shaul Elovitch's ties to the prime minister and his close associates and the suspicion he enjoyed benefits for the Israeli telecommunications giant Bezeq in return for favourable coverage of Netanyahu on the Walla! 1
5. Case 1207 - alleged attempts on Netanyahu’s behalf to dangle a promotion over former  District Court Judge Hila Gerstel in exchange for her cooperation, Supreme Court Judge President, Esther Hayut tells police former District Court Judge Hila Gerstel confided in her that during her candidacy for the post of state attorney, a PM associate, Nir Hefetz, approached her indirectly to offer the position on condition that she close a case against Sara Netanyahu; 'Gerstel expressed shock to the president about the incident 2.

   

   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Shlomo Filber, left, one of Netanyahu's closest allies.Moti Milrod / Maged Gozani

File 1000 and 2000 have been more or less completed and sent to the Attorney-General, Avichai Mandelblit 3 for his perusal in order to decide whether there is enough evidence to place PM Netanyahu on trial for fraud, bribery and breach of trust. This remains to be seen and can take over a year 4.

Case 4000 is under police investigation and this appears to be the most threatening case for Netanyahu’s career as a prime minister in which Netanyahu may be suspect of wrongdoing. Naturally, Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing in this case as well. It will take time for the police to complete their investigation in this case before they refer it to the Attorney-General for his decision to indict Netanyahu. Police harness evidence against PM Netanyahu by nearly clinching central suspect—former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber—who is expected to incriminate Netanyahu as he prepares to ink state witness deal in a fresh corruption case involving benefits for more favourable media coverage.

According to a report from YNet:

“Bezeq majority owner Shaul Elovitch, former media adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Nir Hefetz, and former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber are among those arrested Sunday in the Bezeq corruption affair, it was cleared for publication late Monday.19th Feb 2018.

Recordings provided by Walla! News CEO Ilan Yeshua to Securities Authority convinced AG Mandelblit to give go-ahead to police to also investigate Bezeq case; recordings reportedly show blatant instruction by Bezeq majority shareholder Shaul Elovitch to sway news coverage in PM Netanyahu's favour.

Or and Iris Elovitch, the son and wife of Bezeq's owner, and CEO Stella Handler were also arrested.

Suspects are alleged to have either given or received bribes, in a quid pro quo relationship involving actions that benefited Bezeq and Walla! News—a news site owned by the telecommunications giant—in return for flattering coverage of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his family”.

PM Netanyahu views all these suspicions as a witch-hunt against him 5. He blames the police, the court system, the left-wing and the opposition.

However, Netanyahu has wall to wall support from his shenanigans in the Likud Party as well as in his government coalition. Even the majority of his supporters amongst the Israeli electorate believe that he should remain in office. According to Netanyahu’s supporters (and there is no lack of them), there is nobody that can replace him. Netanyahu can remain in office from a legal point of view as he is still innocent and has not been proved guilty of any crime.  At this stage of the investigations, he is regarded as a suspect and theoretically, he can serve out his term of office until the next elections and even be re-elected.

One of Bibi Netanyahu’s pundits, Chairman of the Knesset's House Committee MK Miki Zohar 6 (Likud) compared on Haifa Radio Monday the murder of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin with the investigations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and their attendant media coverage, alleging that Netanyahu had also suffered a form of political assassination. This is such an odious comparison and illustrates the lengths that Netanyahu’s Likud MKs is prepared to go to make irresponsible statements against the police and the rule of law. It appears that “Kaiser” Netanyahu is above the law and can do what he wishes. Anybody in Israel, who do not accept this, is treacherous, according to Netanyahu’s cronies. Miki Zohar’s outrageous and disgraceful comparison to Rabin’s assassination places a slur on Israel’s law authorities. Miki Zohar is an attorney and he should show better judgment. However, like most of his Likud colleagues, he is incapable of that. Another example of a “cosa nostra”- like Member of the Knesset and Coalition Chief Whip is David (Dudu) Amsalem, whose remarks against state witnesses and even Yair Lapid, who was summoned by the police to give a witness report, are not far from gangster-like expressions.  

While Netanyahu, as mentioned earlier in this article, need not resign and can continue in his post as prime minister. However, the question remains whether it is in the public interest for him continue in his position as prime minister under these suspicions of a felony. When former Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert was under suspicion of committing a crime and had not been formally charged. Netanyahu was in the opposition. He stated that Olmert should resign. Today Netanyahu is in a similar situation to Olmert was then (in 2008) and he hangs on. Obviously, Netanyahu’s advice to others does not apply to himself. Netanyahu’s supporters state that he (Netanyahu) can function as prime minister even while he is busy with his defence lawyers to clear his name of all suspicions. That is doubtful. Naturally, Netanyahu denies all allegations against and views these cases as a witch hunt against him. Even Ehud Olmert, the previous prime minister denied allegations against him. No suspect in a crime ever admits guilt or committing a crime. Netanyahu is no different.

While PM Netanyahu has to come to terms with the various cases that appear to be very incriminating towards him, the question that should be asked is whether Netanyahu should resign. If one answers this question from a moral point of view and in the interest of the public, the answer is a definite “yes”. Netanyahu cannot function efficiently as prime minister while these files are hanging over his head like the sword of Damocles. Israel has so many problems, internal and external, that it is essential that its leader will not be bogged down with criminal files and consultation with his lawyers to clear his name of all suspicions of a felony.

See Corruption on the Periphery of the Netanyahu Government

References:

1. 17 Feb. 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5117784,00.html. Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.
2. "Chief justice confirms attempted bribery in Case 1207 - Ynetnews." 20 Feb. 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5123604,00.html. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
3. "Avichai Mandelblit - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avichai_Mandelblit. Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.
4. "#10 Avichai Mandelblit - The man who will decide Israel's fate ...." 20 Sep. 2017, http://www.jpost.com/International/The-man-who-will-decide-Israels-fate-Avichai-Mandelblit-504857. Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.
5. Communications Ministry Director-General Filber signs state witness agreement www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5123973,00.html Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
6. "Miki Zohar - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miki_Zohar. Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.