The Israeli Supreme Court on Thursday refused to rule on a request by lawyers to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, charged with corruption, from receiving a mandate to form a government after the next election.
Jurists had seized the Supreme Court Tuesday to ask it to rule on the right of Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing party Likoud, to receive from the president the mandate to form a government after the elections on March 2, despite his indicted for "corruption", "embezzlement" and "breach of trust" in three different cases.
Benjamin Netanyahu claimed immunity from the Israeli Parliament
On Thursday, the country's highest court said it was unable to rule on the sensitive case, saying the request was "premature". "Netanyahu will be judged by the public at the polls and we will win," reacted on Twitter Benny Gantz, the Prime Minister's main rival, head of the centrist party Kahol Lavan (Bleu-Blanc).
The announcement comes after Benjamin Netanyahu, indicted at the end of November and vying for the next legislative elections, asked for immunity from the Israeli parliament on Wednesday.
No compulsory resignation
Israeli law states that any minister who is subject to criminal prosecution must resign, but this does not apply to the Prime Minister. Although he can remain in office, Benjamin Netanyahu does not enjoy any immunity from justice, hence the fact that he wishes to request it from the Knesset.
This request must first be assessed by a parliamentary committee. However, as the Parliament was dissolved for the legislative elections of March 2 - the third in less than a year in Israel - the request of Benjamin Netanyahu will have to wait for the outcome of the next election before being studied.
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