The Palestine Chronicle / July 13, 2023
The petition, filed on April 19, 2023, is supported by a number of former political and military leaders, including former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.
Israel’s Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it will consider a petition to remove rightwing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office due to conflicts of interest.
The petition, filed on April 19, 2023, is supported by a number of former political and military leaders, including former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz.
The Supreme Court’s decision comes amid Netanyahu’s attempts to bring about changes to the judiciary, even though he is on trial in three criminal cases.
Attorney General Ghali Bharav Miara warned Netanyahu last March against interfering in amendments to the judiciary, as he is prohibited from doing so due to his appearance in corruption cases.
In a letter to Netanyahu in March, the attorney general said:
“A prime minister accused of crimes must refrain from actions giving rise to a reasonable fear of a conflict of interest between your personal interests relating to the proceedings and your role as premier.”
Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which are still being heard by the Israeli judiciary.
Only the Supreme Court, Israel’s highest judicial authority, can convict Netanyahu and issue a prison sentence. But under a new law passed by the Israeli Knesset (parliament) last March, the Supreme Court is barred from removing him.
But an agreement signed by Netanyahu and Israel’s former attorney general Avichai Mandelblit, required the prime minister “to avoid involvement in judicial legislation that could affect the outcome of his cases,” the Times of Israel newspaper reported.
“Judge Ruth Ronnen ruled that the petition will be examined by a panel of justices in the near future, but did not set a date for the hearing. The decision signals that the court isn’t rejecting the petition outright,” the newspaper added.
