Israeli minister advances law excluding Netanyahu from premiership
Justice Minister Gideon Saar is advancing a law proposal that will prevent any person indicted for serious criminal offenses to participate in government formation.
Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Saar released Oct. 19 a draft of a bill he is proposing, which would bar a lawmaker charged with a serious crime from cobbling together a government. A serious crime would mean in this case an indictment that could result in three years or more of incarceration. If the bill is approved, it could prevent former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power.
According to appraisals in the coalition, such a bill could garner a majority: Even if there will be those in the coalition who oppose the bill, Knesset members of the opposition Arab Joint List party would support it.
In actual fact, we are looking at a bill directed specifically at one person: Netanyahu, opposition chairman and leader of the largest party in Israel that, according to recent polls, is getter stronger. The new bill targeting him is unusual, as most parliamentary democracies in the world have not adopted similar legislation. Thus, ever since it has been publicized, the bill has stirred up the political system.
Saar had served in the past as senior minister on behalf of the Likud, and had competed against Netanyahu over party leadership. After his defeat, he quit the party and even politics for a while, establishing later on a party of his own, named New Hope. Shortly after the establishment of the Bennett government, Saar started advancing the anti-Netanyahu bill. Now, with the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, he is operating with all his strength for an accelerated procedure for a rapid adoption of his law proposal.
