Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a January 24 video that he has not agreed to a plea deal that would bar him from public office for seven years.
Speaking in Hebrew, Netanyahu said that media reports saying that he agreed to a “moral turpitude” clause in a plea agreement are “mistaken,” The Times of Israel (TOI) reported. “I will continue to lead the Likud [Party] and the national camp in order to lead Israel, on your behalf.” According to The Jerusalem Post, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will only agree to a plea deal if it has the “moral turpitude” clause. TOI also reported that a two-year ban from politics was discussed, but Mandelblit has since backtracked from it. Mandelblit will be stepping down from his position on February 1.
The former prime minister was indicted in November 2019 of three charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases. Case 1000 involves Netanyahu allegedly providing favor to wealthy supporters in return for gifts. Cases 2000 and 4000 involve Netanyahu allegedly using regulations to empower specific news outlets in exchange for more favorable coverage.
Netanyahu has denied the allegations and alleged that the cases against him are politically motivated.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid urged the Knesset to pass a bill that would ban anyone who agrees to a moral turpitude clause from serving as prime minister. He also accused Netanyahu of being a source of division within Israel. “The most important thing for us is to enable some kind of unity among the people of Israel,” Lapid said, per TOI.
Likud Member of the Knesset (MK) and former Finance Minister Israel Katz called Netanyahu’s statement “courageous,” the Post reported. “We will all stand behind him and support him and continue working together to topple this dangerous government and return the Likud to power.”
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