Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came under attack on Sunday over his efforts to dissuade Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit from announcing a pre-indictment hearing in his various corruption cases.
According to various reports from the past week, Mendelblit is likely to make a decision on the three cases involving Netanyahu even before the April 9 election, but Netanyahu says that announcing a pre-indictment hearing could turn voters against him before he has a chance to clear his name.
Former Supreme Court Justice Eliyahu Matza said that a recent Netanyahu video in which he compared a pre-indictment hearing to the hand amputation of a man who was wrongly convicted, was inciting.
"Throughout my entire career, I have never seen such statements against law-enforcement officials; only crime bosses use such language," Matza told Reshet Bet radio. "The prime minister, the ministers and the MKs have to obey the law … making such statements against the attorney general is the most criminal form of incitement."
Matza further suggested that Netanyahu's comments would only make the attorney general and the State Attorney's Office do their job faster because the public wants to know who the candidates really are. "Netanyahu has a vested interest in seeing this process move forward as fast as possible," he said.
Netanyahu is considered a suspect in three corruption cases. Case 1,000 centers on gifts Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, allegedly received from billionaire businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer. Case 2,000 focuses on an illicit deal Netanyahu allegedly tried to strike with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes under which Yedioth would soften its aggressive anti-Netanyahu stance in return for the prime minister using his influence to curtail the activities of Israel Hayom, Yedioth's chief rival. Case 4,000 centers on potentially illicit dealings and conflict of interest involving Israeli telecom corporation Bezeq and the Walla news website, which Bezeq owns.
The Likud party shot back after Matza spoke, saying: "It is ridiculous to cry 'incitement' every time the prime minister levels legitimate criticism on the bizarre legal process he faces; there is no precedent for announcing a pre-indictment hearing against a public official in the runup to an election without letting him make his case until after polls close. There is also no precedent for the rapid speed in which such a decision has been made – within days [of the investigation being completed]."
The Likud further slammed Matza for "brazen meddling" in the elections. "It is unfortunate that a former Supreme Court justice is dragged to this media campaign that is designed to unseat Netanyahu and bring the Left to power," the Likud said.
Meanwhile, former Israel Defense Force Chief of General Staff Benny Gantz, who recently entered the political fray under the newly formed Israel Resilience Party, was attacked by right-wing ministers for supposedly being a closet leftist.
Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis told Reshet Bet radio that Gantz is trying to mislead voters by staying silent. "What I object to is his effort to hide his left-wing views. Perhaps he should clarify whether his wife takes part in Machsom Watch demonstrations," Akunis said, referring to the left-wing organization that regularly stages protests in Judea and Samaria against Israeli troops. "After all, your home shapes who you are and what your political outlook is."
National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz suggested Gantz should be more modest in his ambitions considering his lack of political experience. "I am in favor of having generals in politics, but why aim for the top job right at the start? It insults our intelligence," Steinitz said. "I demand that Gantz make it clear that he does not seek the premiership. Otherwise, it is just braggadocio."
Steinitz said that Gantz's military career hardly qualifies him for the job. "He was never the preferred choice for any appointment; electing him without making him clarify his views is like voting for an unknown quantity."
