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Netanyahu lawyers arrive for pre-indictment hearing
JERUSALEM, Oct 2, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s lawyers arrived for his pre-indictment hearing on corruption
allegations Wednesday and pledged to convince prosecutors to drop the cases
against him.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit had in February announced his
intention to indict the premier for bribery, fraud and breach of trust
pending a hearing in three separate cases.
He is accused of acting on behalf of wealthy supporters and businessmen in
exchange for gifts or favourable news coverage.
Speaking to journalists outside the justice ministry ahead of the closed-
door hearing, Netanyahu attorney Ram Caspi said that based on the materials
and arguments they would present, there was “a solid foundation for a change
of course”.
Caspi also said he was confident that Mandelblit would reach his decision
“in a professional manner, ignoring the background noises”.
“The prime minister is not above the law, but neither is he below it,” he
said.
Mandelblit had rejected Netanyahu’s request to broadcast the hearings
live.
Another attorney, Amit Hadad, noted they had new evidence to present to
Mandelblit.
“At the end of the day, the three cases will have to be closed,” he told
journalists.
The hearings will last four days and Netanyahu is not expected to attend
in person.
Mandelblit is expected to take several weeks to decide whether to issue
the indictments after the hearing is complete.
Netanyahu denies all the accusations and has labelled them bids by his
enemies to force him from office, which he has held for a total of over 13
years, the longest in Israeli history.
The hearing comes with Netanyahu’s attempts to form a unity government
following September 17 elections at an impasse after his main opponent
cancelled a meeting planned for Wednesday.
Netanyahu was instead planning to meet with the heads of right-wing and
religious parties supporting his bid to form and head a government after the
deadlocked election.
In calling off Wednesday’s negotiations, Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and
White said that preconditions for continued talks “have not been met.” “We
will not be the background for Netanyahu’s election games,” Blue and White
said.
Netanyahu had also sought to meet Gantz later Wednesday, but Blue and
White said there was no point in doing so for now.
Netanyahu had been tasked by President Reuven Rivlin with forming a
coalition, and should the incumbent premier say he cannot do so, the
president must then decide whether to ask Gantz to try.
Alternatively, Rivlin could call on parliament to agree on a candidate for
prime minister with a vote of at least 61 of 120 members.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1435 hrs