Netanyahu drops request for immunity from corruption charges
Tish
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday has said he is withdrawing his bid for parliamentary immunity from prosecution on corruption charges, paving the way for a trial to begin.
Israel's longest-serving prime minister issued a Facebook statement on Tuesday saying the immunity proceedings in parliament would have been a "circus" and he did not want to take part in a "dirty game".
"I informed the Knesset speaker that I am withdrawing my immunity request," Netanyahu said.Israel's parliament, the Knesset, was set to convene to discuss the formation of a committee to debate the prime minister's request for immunity from prosecution.Netanyahu's Likud party was planning to boycott the Knesset session.
"In this fateful hour for the people of Israel, when I am in the United States on a historic mission to design the permanent borders of Israel and ensure our security for decades to come, the Knesset is expected to open another exhibition in the circus of removing immunity," Netanyahu wrote.
The Israeli prime minister is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the White House for the announcement of the Trump administration's long-anticipated plan for the Middle East.
Netanyahu hates to be the loser
The prime minister's chief political opponent Benny Gantz, who leads the Blue and White party, said in a statement: "Netanyahu is going to trial - we must go forward."
"Nobody could run a country and simultaneously manage three serious criminal charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust," Gantz added.Akiva Eldar, an Israeli columnist at Al-Monitor, said Netanyahu had no choice but to withdraw his immunity request as he lacked sufficient support in parliament.
"Netanyahu hates to be the loser. He wanted the immunity and he wasn’t able to get it. He stood no chance. He doesn’t have a majority in the Knesset to get the immunity," Eldar said.
Netanyahu was indicted in November on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust over allegations that he granted state favours worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israeli media barons in return for gifts and favourable coverage.
He denies any wrongdoing, saying he is the victim of a witch-hunt by the media and the political left aiming to remove a popular right-wing leader.
