The New Right chairman Naftali Bennett on Sunday morning clarified that his party would recommend to President Rivlin to appoint Benjamin Netanyahu to cobble the next coalition government, despite the announcement by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit that he plans to indict Netanyahu, subject to a hearing.
“Until a final indictment is filed, there is nothing to talk about,” Bennett told Kan, Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation.
Bennett stressed that the upcoming elections will decide “oh yamin oh Falastin” (either a right-wing government or a Palestinian state), noting with great concern the leakage of votes from the Likud to the Blue and White headed by Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid.
“Those who cannot bring themselves to vote Likud should vote for the New Right and not to harm the right-wing bloc,” Bennett said, adding: “Buses should not start exploding here because of the indictments.”
The New Right chairman referred to the possibility of enacting the “French law,” which states that the president of France is not legally responsible for his actions while in office. This constitutional statute contains a restriction subjecting the president to the International Criminal Court, which deals with genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. In addition, the French president is not immune to the charge of serious treason in the implementation of his executive powers.
“We support this as a general rule and are prepared to examine such legislation which would not apply retroactively,” Bennett said. “We will not support a law that applies to the current situation.”
Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) told the same Kan program that the left of exploiting the suspicions against Netanyahu to topple the right and rise to power.
“The law in Israel is clear – a prime minister can continue to serve even in situations when he is facing suspicions or an indictment,” Steinitz said.