Likud officials on Wednesday expressed anger over what they said were leaks from the deliberations by Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit on whether to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in any or all of the three corruption investigations being waged against him.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he has no intention of stepping down, even if he faces a criminal indictment.
Under Israeli law, the prime minister may remain in office while facing trial and must resign only if he is convicted of a crime.
"No one in Israel will be tried on the basis of leaks, certainly not the prime minister," Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis stated. "The attorney general cannot announce an indictment before the elections but hold the [pre-indictment] hearing after the elections. That's unethical and dishonest."
He further said that a decision by Mendelblit to announce an indictment during the election campaign "would gravely undermine the democratic process."
Earlier this week, sources familiar with the attorney general's deliberations hinted that Mendelblit has, in fact, already decided to indict the prime minister, and the question being debated now is when to announce it.
Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev urged Mendelblit "to be the sane voice that counters the anything-but-Netanyahu camp. If Mendelblit plans to make this move before the elections, he has to make sure that the entire hearing process can be completed before the elections," she said.
The Israeli elections have been set for April 9.
Coalition Chairman MK David Amsalem further criticized Mendelblit for reportedly consulting with former senior judiciary officials on the issue.
"I heard about this meeting and it sounds absurd to me that it took place. If they did, it's a very serious issue and it has to be addressed, especially given the ridiculous nature of these cases," he said.
Hadashot evening news, which reported on the meeting last week, claimed that the officials with whom Mendelblit met – former chief justices Aharon Barak, Meir Shamgar and Dorit Beinisch, former attorneys general Yitzhak Zamir and Yehuda Weinstein, and former state attorneys Edna Arbel, Moshe Lador and Gabriel Bach – supported handing down an indictment before the elections.
The State Attorney's Office confirmed the meeting had taken place, saying it was an annual forum that discussed various issued on the country's legal agenda and that it did not focus on the investigations against Netanyahu.
Also on Wednesday, the police launched an investigation into a menacing graffiti against Mendelblit, discovered on a highway noise barrier near Or Akiva, a town near Haifa.
The graffiti read, "Mendelblit is a collaborator" and the police believe it was meant as a threat against the attorney general.
Or Akiva Mayor condemned the incident, saying, "This is a deplorable incident. I will personally make sure this graffiti is erased as soon as the police are done collecting evidence."
Last week, unknown vandals desecrated the gravestone of Mendelblit's father, in an incident strongly condemned by Netanyahu and officials from across the political spectrum.
