{"id":51892,"date":"2019-11-22T16:36:11","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T22:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=51892"},"modified":"2019-11-22T16:47:24","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T22:47:24","slug":"netanyahu-indictment-highlights-entrenched-partisan-divide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/netanyahu-indictment-highlights-entrenched-partisan-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu indictment highlights entrenched partisan divide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By DOV LIPMAN<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"dateline\">(<em>JNS.org<\/em>)<\/span> The attorney general\u2019s announcement on Thursday night, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being indicted for bribery and breach of trust led to strong reactions from all sides of the political spectrum.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_51893\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51893\" class=\"wp-image-51893 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495.jpg 880w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/169;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51893\" class=\"wp-image-51893 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/F191121NRF10-880x495.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-51893\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demonstrate outside his residence following the announcement by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on indictment charges. Photo by Noam Revkin Fenton\/FLASH90<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Netanyahu called the indictment an \u201cattempted coup\u201d and called for an investigation of the investigators who he said were trying to topple him via the charges. Blue and White leader Benny Gantz said that there is no coup, but rather a prime minister who is \u201ctrying to fortify himself in power\u201d and many on the left urged Netanyahu to resign. <ins class=\"adsbygoogle JNS_InArticle_1\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8573325940152694\" data-ad-slot=\"JNS\/JNS_InArticle_1\" data-adsbygoogle-status=\"done\"><ins id=\"aswift_1_expand\"><ins id=\"aswift_1_anchor\"><\/ins><\/ins><\/ins><\/p>\n<p>The Blue and White Party was quick to spread a video from 2008 showing then opposition leader Netanyahu saying that \u201ca prime minister who is sunk until his neck in investigations has no moral and public mandate to make significant decisions for the state of Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet in the face of criminal indictments, many from within Netanyahu\u2019s Likud Party and other key leaders in his right-wing bloc, rallied around the prime minister, likely giving the embattled Israeli leader the political cover needed to fight the charges and remain in office.<\/p>\n<p>Likud Justice Minister Amir Ohana, whose ministry is prosecuting Netanyahu, told JNS that he is \u201cproud to stand to the side of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe prime minister is not guilty. He isn\u2019t guilty because that\u2019s what the law says and because that is how our judicial system works. A person\u2019s guilt in the State of Israel must be proven in court. Not in tv studios, not in social media, and not even in the prosecutor\u2019s offices.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_51882\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51882\" class=\"wp-image-51882 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51882\" class=\"wp-image-51882 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Bibi2018-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-51882\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Alan Smason)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ohana added that \u201cI have seen many indictments collapse in my professional life.&nbsp; There is a long list of public figures who had to deal with indictments, and they were exonerated in court.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Likud Tourism Minister Yariv Levin went even further, saying that the files against the prime minister should not have been opened to begin with.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf anything,\u201d Levin said, \u201cWe are talking about ethical issues. But they are not criminal.&nbsp; The entire process has been invalid from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other members of Likud issued similar statements, focusing on Netanyahu\u2019s years of dedication to the success of the state, with the message that Netanyahu should not be judged until he has his day in the court.<\/p>\n<p>Netanyahu was also backed by others on the right, who have had an up and down relationship with the prime minister over the years.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_51896\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51896\" class=\"wp-image-51896 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/225;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51896\" class=\"wp-image-51896 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Naftali_Bennett-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-51896\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newly-appointed defense minister Naftali Bennett. (Photo by Alan Smason)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Defense Minister Naftali Bennett of the New Right Party tweeted that \u201cthis is a painful night for the nation of Israel.&nbsp; Many believe that this should not be happening to Prime Minister Netanyahu, a man who dedicated his entire life to the State of Israel. For us.&nbsp; On this night it\u2019s important to remember his many merits.&nbsp; He is the prime minister of Israel and deserves to be presumed innocent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>New Right MK and former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked tweeted similarly that \u201cAll people have the presumption of innocence and that applies to Prime Minister Netanyahu as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Shas Party also backed Netanyahu, saying in a statement: \u201cWe support and give strength to the hands of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a man with great merits for what he has done for the security and building of Israel.&nbsp; Mr. Prime Minister, we believe and are sure that your innocence will be proven and that justice will come to light.&nbsp; Be strong and mighty and do not be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who has refused to join Netanyahu\u2019s coalition, echoed this reality that the prime minister is innocent until proven guilty.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the support within his party and political bloc, there are emerging calls for Likud to hold a party primary ahead of an expected third election within the past year.<\/p>\n<p>Likud MK Michal Shir called for primaries for chairman of the party and said that she would support her mentor and Netanyahu rival MK Gideon Saar, who has said that he would run against Netanyahu in primaries.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018Not worth of leading Israel\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16878\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16878\" class=\"wp-image-16878 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280-300x195.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280.jpg 430w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/195;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16878\" class=\"wp-image-16878 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280-300x195.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/netanyahu-protective-edge-web-430x280.jpg 430w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-16878\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, and former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, left, being briefed in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge. (Photos by Ariel Hermoni\/Ministry of Defense\/Flash90)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>While Netanyahu\u2019s supporters remained firm, several leaders of Blue and White as well as others on the left urged the Israeli leader to step down, arguing that he cannot govern effectively while facing criminal charges.<\/p>\n<p>Blue and White MK and former Likud Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told JNS that it was time for Netanyahu to resign.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is [a] sad time for Israel.&nbsp; We expect our leader to be an example of how one should behave.&nbsp; A person who has been indicted on these charges is not worthy of leading Israel.&nbsp; He is not able to serve as an example for all boys and girls in the state and he is not worthy of sitting in the prime minister\u2019s chair.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Blue and White MK Yair Lapid said, \u201cThe prime minister cannot deal with bombing Syria at night and then the next morning go to court to debate (state witness) Nir Chefetz.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Labor Chairman Amir Peretz took the calls for Netanyahu to resign a step further and said that he his party will turn to Israel\u2019s Supreme Court to require Netanyahu to step down as prime minister while he addresses his legal issues.<\/p>\n<p>Peretz explained that \u201csince we are dealing with a prime minister during a transitional government who did not receive the support of the people to be prime minister now,\u201d the law allowing a prime minister to continue serving under indictment doesn\u2019t apply here.<\/p>\n<p>With both sides of the political spectrum lining up either for or against Netanyahu, it remains clear that the political paralysis that Israel has faced over the past year will likely continue as the prospects of a unity government seem dimmer.<\/p>\n<p>Blue and White faction chairman MK Avi Nissenkorn announced that in light of the indictment and the fact that the mandate to form a government has been handed to the Knesset, he will go around the Knesset trying to get 61 signatures supporting Benny Gantz for prime minister.<\/p>\n<p>This will be no easy feat since Blue and White, Labor, and Democratic Union who have already announced their support for Gantz equal just 44 seats.&nbsp; Time will tell whether any member of Netanyahu\u2019s 55-seat right wing\/religious bloc will support such an effort due to the prime minister\u2019s legal situation.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Netanyahu%20indictment%20highlights%20entrenched%20partisan%20divide\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":51893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[208,8781,8790,8795,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51892"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51892"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51898,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51892\/revisions\/51898"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}