Israeli Supreme Court ruling paves the way for government formation
Israel’s highest court rejected petitions against another term for right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a coalition agreement on Wednesday evening, paving the way for the formation of a government.
The coalition agreement between Netanyahu’s Likud party and Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White alliance is legally problematic, the judgement said. However, there is currently no reason for the court to interfere.
Regardless of a corruption charge, there was also “no legal reason to oppose the fact that the mandate to form a government is given to Benjamin Netanyahu,” the verdict said further.
Likud and Blue and White then announced on Wednesday evening that they had agreed on the formation of the new government and that it would be sworn in on May 13.
The coalition is expected to end a stalemate that has paralysed Israel’s political life for more than a year and seen the country hold three elections in a bid to break the deadlock.
Following criticism from the Supreme Court, Likud and Blue and White had previously changed parts of their coalition agreement.
Civil rights activists had rejected Netanyahu’s agreement with Gantz after the election on March 2, which provides for a rotation in the office of prime minister, as illegal.
On Sunday, the court in Jerusalem also discussed petitions demanding that Netanyahu should not become the head of government again as he faces charges of corruption.
The prosecutor general accuses Netanyahu of fraud and breach of trust, as well as bribery, and the trial is set to begin on May 24. The head of government has rejected all allegations.
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But Eliad Shraga, the leader of the Movement for Quality Government, warned that another Netanyahu term despite a corruption charge jeopardizes the rule of law in Israel. He spoke of an “earthquake.”
Parliament must nominate a member of parliament to form a government by a deadline on Thursday at midnight. Israel would have had to vote for the fourth time since April 2019 had the court ruled against Netanyahu’s further term. (dpa)
