This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Published on November 25, 2019, a watchdog group in Israel petitioned the country's top court to order Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step aside after his indictment on corruption charges.
Netanyahu, a four-term conservative leader, has denied the charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, stating he will stay in office and defend himself.
The indictment came amid unprecedented political disarray in Israel, following elections in April and September in which neither Netanyahu nor his main challenger, centrist Benny Gantz, secured a governing majority in parliament.
Netanyahu's hope of securing parliamentary nomination was challenged by Gideon Saar, a rival within his Likud party, who called for a leadership ballot.
“There is only one way in which we can save the country, extricate it from the crisis and ensure the Likud’s continued rule – and that is if we go to snap primaries today, within these 21 days,” Saar told Israel’s Channel 12 television.
While voicing appreciation for Netanyahu’s record-long term and noting he was innocent until proven otherwise, Saar criticized the premier’s attempts to cast his criminal prosecution as a “coup attempt” involving police, prosecutors, and the media.
