Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Likud lawmaker Miki Zohar to shelve a controversial amendment that would protect him from indictment in light of the investigations against him, after an outcry from the opposition.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu does not want the law and he asked Zohar not to advance it," the Likud party announced. "The proposal will not be promoted. Prime Minister Netanyahu is convinced that there will not be an indictment because there was nothing."
The bill submitted by Zohar states that for the purpose of filing an indictment against a member of the Knesset, including the prime minister, the Knesset Committee will have to remove lawmaker's immunity.
“My amendment is intended to protect elected officials from political witch hunts,” Zohar said. “I presented it at my own initiative, and it would protect all members from Right and Left. The prime minister has no hand whatsoever in this important initiative.”
But Zohar’s explanation did not satisfy lawmakers in the opposition.
"Israel is not a monarchy. Netanyahu is not sitting on a throne. We must not remain indifferent to laws that try to protect the 'king'," said MK Yoel Hasson, chairman of the Zionist Union Knesset faction.
"I have argued in the past, and I will continue to argue - we are watching a promo for elections, and the prime minister is trying to advance through his emissaries a change in the immunity law, which is the main reason why we are still not in elections and the Knesset has not been dissolved."
Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern added, “Israel has a separation of powers in its government, and it is not the role of lawmakers to judge who is worthy and unworthy of parliamentary immunity.”
This article has been adapted from its original source.
