Lapid Asserts the Israeli Government is Not Dependent on Benjamin Netanyahu
Just recently, Yair Lapid, the alternate Prime Minister, took to voicing his opinions for the first time in relation to the plea deal being negotiated by the former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The potential agreement, if signed, could force the opposition leader to leave politics, at least for a certain period of time. While attending a faction meeting of Yesh Atid, the alternate premier was asked if he believes that his rotation as the leader of the country would take place if the former Prime Minister signed the plea deal. Lapid responded that whether Netanyahu signs the agreement or not is irrelevant and the Israeli government will last either way.
In his opinion, the leaders of the Jewish state do not depend on the opposition leader, rather stand by national unity and working in cohesion. Reports were also presented to the alternate Prime Minister related to the successor of the opposition leader taking charge and forming a government in the existing Knesset. Lapid responded to these as well, saying that he trusts that Naftali Bennett, the current Prime Minister of the State of Israel, as well as his colleague from Yamina, Ayelet Shaked, the Interior Minister, will keep their word related to the coalition agreement and ensure the rotation.
On the other hand, during an ongoing faction meeting of Labor, the leader of the party, Merav Michaeli, firmly stated that she does not support the plea deal being offered to the former Prime Minister. According to her, justice needs to be done and the plea deal is only a way out for Netanyahu, given the attacks he has made against the legal establishment. While the faction meeting was taking place, the leader of Meretz, Nitzan Horowitz, also took to calling Avichai Mandelblit, the Attorney-General, to put an end to the negotiations currently taking place. It is his belief that there is no point to the negotiations as Netanyahu would not honor his end of the deal.
Horowitz said that the plea deal would be a poor example for the rule of law and the worst agreement to have been signed in the century. Meanwhile, Gideon Sa’ar, the justice minister, revealed that at the time of coalition negotiations, the Likud had wanted to enact some retroactive term limits for all the Prime Ministers in the country. According to him, doing so would have been an end to the political career of the leader of the Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu.
During a debate at the Law and Constitution Committee of the Knesset, Sa’ar talked about his bill, saying that it would place a limit on the eight years that the Prime Ministers of the country are allowed. However, he declared that his bill was different than the one presented by Likud seven months ago because this one would not apply to the former Prime Minister. The justice minister further went on to promise that he would ensure the passing of this bill before the winter session of the Knesset is out. The session is scheduled to end on the 13th of March.
