Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Netanyahu Gives up Immunity Bid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his bid to win immunity from prosecution today. He is facing criminal charges of taking bribes. He will now face the voters on March 2 as a defendant in a criminal prosecution. The withdrawal of the request means that his opponents will not be able to hold hearings on immunity. Since he did not have the votes to get his way, he is making the best of a bad situation.
The PM is currently in Washington where Donald Trump, who has his own legal problems, is announcing his new vision for Middle East Peace. The Palestinians are boycotting the unveiling, so one expects it to die a slow death due to lack of interest.
Nevertheless, the situation did give Mr. Netanyahu a potentially historic moment which he used to bash his domestic foes. His Facebook page read, "Instead of understanding the greatness of the hour and rising above political considerations, they continue to engage in cheap politics that are damaging to this decisive moment in the history of the country."
He stated, "At this fateful hour for the people of Israel, while I am in the US on a historic mission to shape Israel's permanent borders and ensure our security for future generations, another Knesset show is expected to open in the immunity circus.
"Since I was not given due process, because all the rules of Knesset work were trampled on, and since the results of the procedure were pre-dictated without proper discussion, I decided not to let this dirty game continue."
The man believes himself to be a great statesman held back by lesser men whose jealousy is all they have.
The truth is a bit sadder. He speaks like Mr. Trump, wallowing in self-pity and claiming the world is unfair. The PM has been unable to form a government after the last two elections and will fight a third as the man in the dock. The leader of the opposition Blue and White Party, Benny Gantz, stated, "Netanyahu will be tried. We must move forward. The citizens of Israel face a clear choice: a prime minister who will work for them or a prime minister is who is busy with himself. No one can manage a state and at the same time manage three serious criminal cases."
The charges had been on hold while the Knesset tried to address the immunity issue. Now that Mr. Netanyahu has withdrawn his request, the Attorney-General has formally filed indictments against the PM. A judge will set a date for the trial to begin in short order.
Should the electorate decide to give Mr. Netanyahu a mandate to form a government, he may still be able to halt the court proceedings against him. While he has withdrawn his bid for immunity, there is nothing stopping a new Knesset from passing a law giving immunity to the PM as a perk of office.
© Copyright 2020 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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