In blue and white, the Knesset hears immunity talks: "End before the elections"

Gantz's party is preparing to discuss Netanyahu's request for immunity, after Edelstein announced that he would enter the plenum. The Prime Minister attacked the Knesset chairman and called him back from his decision. "It's all in his hands, not too late to fix it," they said.

In blue and white, the Knesset hears immunity talks: "End before the elections"

Netanyahu's Immunity - All Updates

• In blue and white, preparations are under way for the discussions to begin until the election
• Gantz: "Netanyahu asked for a hearing on immunity - Netanyahu will accept. We must move forward"
• PM's Associates: "Edelstein Allows Knesset to Make Circus in Election"
• The plenum will be convened next Tuesday to set up a committee to discuss Netanyahu's immunity

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein's Announcement of the Plenary Meeting Next Tuesday, with the aim of establishing a Knesset committee to discuss Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's immunity, criticized (first) criticism from across the political spectrum. Netanyahu's associates claimed that Edelstein "falls into the trap of the left" Blame that the deadline for convening the plenary may be too late.

In blue and white, preparations for the immunity request are scheduled to begin next week, Wednesday and Thursday. Party officials claimed that even in the current schedule, the debate could be finalized even before the elections and rejected Netanyahu's request. "Netanyahu is exerting all possible pressure to try to prevent the request for immunity, but despite the delay efforts - the immunity hearings will begin next week, will be conducted in a timely and fair manner and will end before the elections," the party said.

Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz said: "Netanyahu has asked for a hearing on immunity - Netanyahu will accept. The Extreme Immunity Coalition refrained from continuing to degrade Israel solely for Netanyahu's personal interests. We must move forward. "

Read more on the subject

Prepare for the immunity hearings. Nissenkorn and Gantz (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Abby Nissenkorn and Benny Gantz at Blue and White faction meeting, Kfar Maccabiah, Ramat Gan, December 25, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

On the other hand, the Prime Minister's associates attacked Edelstein, claiming that "he allows himself to turn the Knesset into a political circus during elections by giving his hand to the left-wing trickery that is trying to use the Knesset only to neutralize Netanyahu, no matter how much media and the left embrace the Knesset Speaker." He will never be able to escape the responsibility for that. "According to them," his decision states that the prime minister's affairs will be decided politically and not as matter-of-fact and judicial as the law requires. "

"It is clear to everyone that the left's madness to discuss Netanyahu's request stems from two main reasons: one - this will be used in their election campaign 'Just not Bibi', the other - they are building a petition to court that will not allow Netanyahu to impose the government train after the indictment is actually filed For it is known to all that the court did not remove this option from the table, "they added. The close associates called on the Speaker of the Knesset to back down his decision: "It is undisputed that everything is in the hands of Yuli Edelstein.

MK Shlomo Qari (Likud) joined in criticizing Edelstein, claiming that he made the wrong decision. "He preferred the opinion of the President over a practice in the Knesset with a binding legal status," he said. "The decision is even more puzzling in relation to the grave conflict of interest of the hanging court and the High Court. It is clear that a party with nothing but 'just not Bibi' will destroy everything in favor of a campaign worth tens of millions of shekels at the expense of the Knesset."

In the shadow of criticism: Netanyahu canceled a meeting with the ultra-Orthodox on the yeshiva budget crisis

Associates in the attack against Edelstein. Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

PM Benjamin Netanyahu at a Cabinet Meeting, January 19, 2020 (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky, Paul Photographers)

MK Revital Suid (Labor-Bridge-Meretz) argued that the date of the plenary session may limit the timetable for discussing immunity. Suid said that "Edelstein actually helped Netanyahu to dissolve the hearing of immunity. Scheduling the next plenary debate deliberately binds the whole system to a tight schedule. Unfortunately, the Speaker of the Knesset has chosen to respect in a very limited way the decision of the Democratic majority in the Knesset. "

"The debate has become polluted"

Earlier today, Edelstein announced the convening of the plenary next Tuesday - 34 days before the election. "The hearing process on the PM's request for immunity has become polluted," he said. "The factions of the House will turn the Knesset committee's deliberations into banned election propaganda and the Legislature will become a jungle. A bitter taste was felt in the debate that was held at the regular committee a few days ago."

In the background of the Likud petition against Speaker of the Knesset Eyal Yanun, on grounds of conflict of interest, the Speaker of the Knesset explained that "Although I disagree with the Knesset Attorney General's position, I believe that maintaining the Knesset Speaker's institution by all House factions is important for acceptance." .

Edelstein disagrees with Knesset Speaker's position (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, January 12, 2020 (Photo: Reuven Castro)