Israel: Lieberman to reject giving immunity to Netanyahu

Head of Yisrael Beiteinu party Avigdor Lieberman stressed on Monday that he would reject holding a Knesset committee meeting to discuss providing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immunity, Quds Press reported.

This came just one day after he said that he would support Netanyahu’s efforts to form the House Committee in the Knesset in order to discuss his claim for immunity regarding the corruption cases against him.

“The prime minister said he doesn’t need immunity,” Haaretz quoted Lieberman saying, arguing that a court decision would be “the only thing that would be accepted by all citizens”.

“To set up the committee 15 days before the dissolving [of parliament], it is clear that it will be a personal committee that will deal with only one subject or one person,” said Lieberman.

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“We will need to wait until there is a new government, [then] the House Committee will be set up and debate it.”

Granting Netanyahu immunity “would harm the public’s trust”, he continued.

Netanyahu cannot be protected from prosecution without the support of the Knesset House Committee or the support of the 120 members of the Knesset.

Charges can only be filed in court after the committee rejects the bid for immunity meaning the process could drag on for several months after a government is formed or a new election is held.