Israel’s Netanyahu Faces Calls to Quit over a Corruption Scandal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced calls to resign Friday over a corruption scandal, as senior government colleagues publicly declared support after some signs of cracks in party loyalty.

Ariana News Agency- 

Netanyahu said he would not step down after he was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust by Israel’s attorney general Thursday night.

The 70-year-old conservative Likud party leader denies all wrongdoing and denounced the indictment — the first against a sitting Israeli prime minister — as an “attempted coup.”

But his ability to lead a country mired in political crisis, after two inconclusive elections this year that failed to produce a government, is being questioned.

The centrist Blue and White party headed by Netanyahu’s main rival, Benny Gantz, issued a statement calling on Netanyahu to “immediately resign from all ministerial positions in the government.”

The party — which has 33 of parliament’s 120 seats to Likud’s 32 — said its lawyers had formally approached the prime minister and attorney general’s offices saying it was “imperative” that Netanyahu step down.

A poll aired by Israel’s Channel 13 TV found that 56 percent of Israelis believe Netanyahu cannot continue to govern after being indicted. A total of 35 percent said he can, and 9 percent were undecided.

Under Israeli law, he is under no obligation to step down as prime minister. But with Israel heading toward a probable third election in less than a year, Netanyahu could soon find himself in the difficult position of trying to win an election while preparing to be prosecuted.