Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to ask Parliament to grant him immunity. The 70-year-old prime minister said it was a temporary immunity. Such a move would protect him from prosecution in the face of a corruption charge.
The Justice Department said in November that 70-year-old Netanyahu should be charged with fraud, infidelity, and bribery (read the allegations here). Experts believe that the parliament will only decide on the proposed immunity application after the new elections on March 2.
The announced trial against Netanyahu would also be postponed - court hearings must not start in Israel until an immunity application has been decided.
Immunity question as a central campaign issue?
The question of whether Netanyahu should be granted immunity could thus become central in the election campaign. The prime minister apparently hopes to get enough popular support for his application in the elections.
Read here: Netanyahu in distress - Bibi against everyone
It is the first time in Israel's history that an incumbent prime minister may have to answer to court. Netanyahu rejected the allegations. He spoke of an attempted coup and severely criticized Israel's judiciary. Opposition politicians accused the head of government of driving the country into a fratricidal war.
In mid-December, Netanyahu announced that it would resign several ministerial posts in response to the January 1 allegations: those for health, social affairs, agriculture and diaspora. For the time being, he apparently does not want to do without the post of executive head of government.