Israel SC continues hearing for second day on Netanyahu-Gantz coalition deal
May 04, 2020
Tel Aviv [Israel], May 4 : Israel's Supreme Court (SC) on Monday heard for the second to decide if a coalition deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz is valid, as the former faces graft charges.
On Sunday too, the top court heard the "arguments on the question of bestowing the duty of forming a government on a Knesset member against whom an indictment has been filed," said Chief Justice Esther Hayut as quoted by Al Jazeera.
This comes in the backdrop of Netanyahu's indictment on corruption charges in January, and later, an agreement reached between Netanyahu and Gantz on April 21, on the national emergency government to fight the spread of COVID-19.
As per the deal, Netanyahu will remain the Prime Minister for 18 months and Gantz will take over the reins in a rotation deal that will be bound by country's laws.
Until then, Gantz will serve as Israel's Defence Minister and Blue and White Party member Gabi Ashkenazi will serve as the country's Foreign Minister.
Last month, Gantz wrote on Facebook: "Whoever wants fourth elections, should say (so). Those who want to spend billions of shekels instead of passing them to the health care system, the self-employed and the unemployed, hose left destitute because of the coronavirus crisis, should come forward."
As things stand, the country SC's ruling on coalition deal is expected to be announced by Thursday. A ruling against Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, would likely lead to a snap poll, the fourth since April last year.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister has continued to deny any wrongdoing in all corruption cases, saying that he is a victim of a political witch-hunt.
Amid the country's politics, Israel continues to deal with the COVID-19 crisis with 16,208 confirmed cases of coronavirus and over 200 deaths, according to John Hopkins University.
