Israeli Lawmakers Propose Multiple Bills to Oust Netanyahu

The COVID-19 pandemic cast a pall over the swearing in of Israel’s 23rd Knesset on Monday, with the Knesset’s 120 lawmakers being sworn in three at a time to avoid spreading the disease, while Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein delivered speeches to a nearly empty hall. This is the third Knesset to be sworn in fewer than 12 months, due to an ongoing political impasse that has paralyzed the country’s government.

Nevertheless, lawmakers quickly got to work, introducing a series of extraordinary bills designed specifically to remove Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office.

The first bombshell was sponsored by Knesset member Oded Forer of Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu Party.

His bill would grant the Knesset the authority, with a simple majority and via a secret ballot, to oust an indicted prime minister heading a transitional government. Netanyahu is currently serving as de facto prime minister because three election cycles in a row have failed to produce a permanent government, and has been indicted in three corruption cases. So this legislation is specifically aimed at removing him from office.

Forer told JNS that “it is clear to us that Netanyahu wants to lead Israel to a fourth election. He thinks he will do better in the next round on the heels of directing Israel through the coronavirus crisis. We promised that we would not allow the country to go to a fourth election; that is what we are doing with this law. Our party will guide Israel towards a wide-ranging, Zionistic and liberal government.”

Forer’s bill also states that if a prime minister faces criminal charges, then any Knesset member can put in a request to remove him from office. The Knesset House Committee would then have one week to hold a vote on whether to recommend that the Knesset accept the petition. If it passes the committee it would go to the Knesset floor for a vote. If it passes the Knesset, then the government would choose a new prime minister from the party of the ousted one.

The bill explains that secret ballots are needed for all these votes “to ensure that Knesset members vote according to their personal opinion, rather than party considerations and coalition pressure.”

The bill sent shock waves through the Knesset as it became clear that a majority exists to pass the measure.