11 Supreme Court Judges To Decide Fate Of Netanyahu’s Emerging Government

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s Supreme Court President Justice Esther Hayut announced Tuesday that the justices will convene next week to begin hearing petitions asking them to bar Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to the premiership while he remains under indictment in his corruption trial.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG) filed the petition immediately after March’s general election, which saw Netanyahu’s Likud reestablish itself as Israel’s premier political force. Additional petitions were filed by the Yesh Atid-Telem faction in the Knesset and by other activist groups.

An unprecedented 11 judges (out of 15)  will hear the petition and must also examine the constitutional legality of the unity deal between Netanyahu’s Likud and the Benny Gantz-led Blue and White faction in light of the criminal charges against Netanyahu, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust – charges that he vehemently rejects.

The hearings, which will be held on Sunday and Monday, are politically charged. The coalition deal between Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz states that if Netanyahu is prevented from serving as prime minister, the Knesset will dissolve and call new elections slated for August — which would be the fourth consecutive vote in 16 months.

Likud and Blue and White filed their official responses to the petitions Tuesday, arguing that the judiciary ought to keep out of political matters.

“This honorable court should not weigh in issues that were decided by the voting public and its representatives in the Knesset [Israel Parliament],” the Likud statement read.

The coalition deal signed last week has ended a 16-month political deadlock in Israel and will see Netanyahu serve as prime minister for the first 18 months of a four-year term as he faces trial next month.