Netanyahu: I Will Not Resign, But a Blow to the Right Wing in Elections is a Risk

While early parliamentary elections have been announced in Israel since last week, investigations by the country's prosecutor's office into corruption allegations against Benjamin Netanyahu continue. On Monday, January 1, he stated that he would not resign even if these cases progressed and he was summoned by the judiciary. Netanyahu, who has been considered the transitional prime minister since the dissolution of the current Knesset, added that he would remain in the election campaign as the leader of the Likud party because his resignation would yield 'nothing.' While traveling to Rio de Janeiro to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's new president, he stated in a press conference that 'Israel is a country of law, and according to the law, a prime minister is not obliged to resign simply because he has been summoned.' A poll indicated that Netanyahu would have an easy victory in the Israeli parliamentary elections. Netanyahu expressed 'confidence' that the Likud party would win the elections and that he would form the next government. In the two years that the anti-corruption unit of the Israeli police has interrogated Netanyahu in four different cases, and in the week since the announcement of the early elections, this was the first time he openly spoke about continuing his political campaign without reference to the prosecutor's position regarding his investigations. He emphasized that the investigations against him are baseless and that it will eventually be proven that he has done nothing wrong. Netanyahu's statements suggest that he anticipates the prosecutor's final position may also involve an indictment against him; the police had previously recommended to the prosecutor's office to bring the cases against Netanyahu to court. In the same press conference in Brazil, Netanyahu stated that it is 'illogical' for the prosecutor's office to continue this process while we are on the verge of elections, as 'the hearing of witnesses will not be completed until I have stated all my remarks.' A journalist reminded Netanyahu that ten years ago, when he was the opposition leader, he pressured then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign while he was still only under media suspicion. Last week, Netanyahu's government announced the end of its term regarding a draft law on exemption from military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews before it was rejected by the parliament. The date set for the elections is April 9, 2019. Initial polls after these developments indicated that Likud would remain the strongest party, securing 28 to 31 seats out of 120 in the Knesset, and if Netanyahu remains the leader of Likud until then, he is likely to form the next government. However, several significant developments have occurred in recent days that have fluidified the political landscape in Israel. On one hand, reserve General Benny Gantz, former chief of staff of the Israeli army, who is a popular figure among parts of the public, entered politics for the first time and officially formed a party named 'Israel Resilience' last Thursday, January 1, registering it in official Israeli electoral documents. According to polls, Gantz's party, despite being newly formed and having no known members besides General Gantz, has surpassed long-standing parties like Labor and Meretz and may become the second party after Likud. Another sudden development was initiated by Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked; Bennett, who has been the leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party in recent years, along with Shaked, announced on Saturday night, January 1, in a press conference that they were leaving their party and forming a new party called 'New Right.' Netanyahu stated in his press conference in Brazil that Bennett and Shaked's actions are 'a risk' and 'a blow to the right wing,' and it is likely that some smaller right-wing parties may not even secure a single seat, which would weaken the right wing and hinder its ability to form the next government.