Netanyahu distances himself from his son's statements

Israel's Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu has distanced himself from his son's verbal attacks on officials responsible for his corruption trial.

During a radio talk, Jair Netanyahu called for prosecutors and police officers to be tried for treason.

"I love my son Jair who is an independent person with his own views," Netanyahu wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"Everyone has the right to express criticism, but I do not agree with his statements published yesterday."

Jair Netanyahu had claimed during the radio talk: "There was a political coup here, with bad intentions." Prosecutors and police knew "that they were framing something on an innocent person who also happens to be the head of government elected by the Israeli people".

In doing so, they would have “abolished a democratic election”.

"That's called subversion, that's called high treason," continued Jair Netanyahu.

"Anyone can read in the law what the punishment for high treason is, and it is not imprisonment." The Israeli media interpreted this as an allusion to the death penalty for high treason.

Although Jair Netanyahu has no official position, he is considered an influential confidante of his father.

The corruption trial against Benjamin Netanyahu has been ongoing since 2020. He is accused of fraud, breach of trust and bribery.

Netanyahu has always denied the allegations and has spoken of a "witch hunt" against him.

After his election victory on November 1, the 73-year-old Netanyahu managed to form a right-wing religious coalition.

His government is planning far-reaching changes in the law and a targeted weakening of the judicial system.

According to experts, the changes could also result in the case against Netanyahu being overturned.

dop/dpa