Gantz, Liberman mull pardon for Netanyahu if he’d quit politics

Poll: Similar results expected in March 2 race.

By GIL HOFFMAN
A combination picture shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel November 17, 2019, and leader of Blue and White party Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Israel November 20, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS//NIR ELIAS/AMIR COHEN)
A combination picture shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel November 17, 2019, and leader of Blue and White party Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv, Israel November 20, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS//NIR ELIAS/AMIR COHEN)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be granted a pardon in his three criminal cases in return for quitting politics, according to a proposal raised on Thursday by Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz and endorsed by Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman.
Speaking to his Blue and White faction in Tel Aviv on the first day of the campaign, Gantz said Israel was going to a third election in under a year because Netanyahu put his needs before the country’s. But he said he did not want Netanyahu to follow in the footsteps of former prime minister Ehud Olmert, who was imprisoned for bribery.
“We don’t want to see another prime minister enter prison,” Gantz said. “We will consider such a proposal should it become relevant. If we could stop such a shameful site, we will have to consider it.”
Liberman told Ynet that Netanyahu had become a political burden.
“No one, including myself, wants to see him in prison,” Liberman said. “No one wants to see any prime minister in prison. But every soccer play needs to know when to hang up his cleats.”
Gantz’s No. 2, MK Yair Lapid, joined in the criticism of Netanyahu, saying that If Israel chose a man with three indictments for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, it would make the country look bad to the world.
“This election is a clearer choice than ever,” Lapid said. “Bribery or hospital waiting times. Fraud or sick and unemployment pay for the self-employed. Breach of trust or our children’s education.”
The only statement Likud said in response to all the criticism was that Netanyahu made concessions to form a unity government, while Gantz prevented building a coalition and dragged the country to elections.
Gantz revealed that he is considering adding more women to his party’s list.
A poll taken on Wednesday and Thursday for The Jerusalem Post and Maariv found that if elections would be held now, Blue and White would win 35 seats, Likud 33, Joint List 12, Shas eight, Yisrael Beytenu and United Torah Judaism seven, New Right and Labor-Gesher five, and Democratic Union and Bayit Yehudi-National Union four each.
It found that Netanyahu’s Right bloc would go up from 55 seats to 57, and Gantz’s Left bloc would fall from 57 to 56.
The poll of 700 people representing a statistical sample of the Israeli population had a margin of error of ±3.8%.
The Likud central committee approved the December 26 date for its leadership primary on Thursday in a meeting that lasted only half an hour. The decision was made unanimously, but only 150 central committee members out of 3,000 attended.
Likud MK David Bitan gathered the 800 signatures of central committee members needed to force a vote to cancel the primary. But he did not present the proposal after Netanyahu asked him not to submit it.
Challenger Gideon Sa’ar revealed his slogan – “Only Sa’ar can” – which refers to his ability to build a government and Netanyahu’s failure at forming a coalition. Sa’ar’s wife, KAN TV anchorwoman Geula Even-Sa’ar, announced on Thursday night that she would take a leave of absence during the campaign.


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