Bill Submitted to Stop Netanyahu from Returning to Power

The New Hope party has submitted a bill that would prevent a person indicted on criminal charges from serving as prime minister.

Although the text of the proposed legislation does not mention former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by name, it is understood that Netanyahu, who has been indicted on corruption allegations, is the target.

Nevertheless, MK Michal Shir insisted on Channel 12 News on Wednesday that “it’s not a personal law at all. It is not targeting one person. It is a law to stop an individual’s personal considerations coming into the decision-making process.”

Shir said that the bill is intended “to rectify the absurd situation” in which an indicted individual can serve as prime minister even though they are legally barred from holding lesser public offices.

The proposal also states that if an individual is indicted while serving as prime minister, the incumbent must resign within 30 days.

It was not clear whether the bill will be able to garner enough votes to pass in the Knesset.

Yamina MKs, for example, have reportedly expressed reservations about a law that seems blatantly anti-Netanyahu, something that will cause a backlash from its right-wing constituents.

Channel 13 reported that Yamina chairman Prime Minister Naftali Bennett supports the bill, but his party’s No. 2, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, is against it.