Israel: ‘Thugs want to save Netanyahu from corruption trial,’ says former PM

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday that “thugs” are working to save Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his corruption trial, Sama has reported. Olmert stressed that any judicial overhaul “must” take place through comprehensive negotiations among all parties.

“What is happening is that the Likud followers are working to save Netanyahu from trial through the proposed judicial reforms,” Olmert told Israeli broadcaster Makan. He referred to the people in question as a “strong group of thugs” who are running the state. They want to get rid of judges and the attorney general because they are considered to be obstacles in the way of changing the democratic system.

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Without the attorney general, Olmert said, it would be easy to incite against Arabs, leftists and gays, as well as attack Palestinians.

When asked about the peace process, he said that there is no political horizon to resume it as Netanyahu’s governments have been rejecting negotiations. However, he did not exonerate Palestinians from any responsibility for hindering the process.

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