500 ex-Israel pilots ask president not to let Netanyahu form government

Middle East Monitor  /  February 25, 2020

Some 540 former Israeli Air Force officers have appealed to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin not to let current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu form the next government, Arab48 reported yesterday.

In a letter, Arab48 said was reported by Yedioth Ahronoth, the pilots said: “In the State of Israel it is impossible for a situation to exist in which a man who is indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust will form a government.”

The letter explained that a prime minister cannot “send the army to operations and wars, unless he is cleared of any wrong-doing by the court.”

Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai and former head of the Israeli Air Force Avihu Ben-Nun are among the people who signed the letter.

On 2 March, Israel is holding its third election in under a year after coalition governments failed to form following the two previous polls.