Gantz threatens Edelstein: We won’t let anyone stop immunity hearing

“Netanyahu has requested immunity and we will use all parliamentary means and tools that are available to us to deliberate on his request,” said Gantz.

By JEREMY SHARON
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Kohelet Policy Forum, Jerusalem, January 8, 2020. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Kohelet Policy Forum, Jerusalem, January 8, 2020.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Blue and White leader MK Benny Gantz issued a none-too-subtle threat to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Wednesday, saying he would not let anyone prevent a hearing on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for immunity.
Speaking before a Blue and White faction meeting in Tel Aviv, Gantz accused Netanyahu of having dragged the country into a third round of elections merely to obtain immunity from prosecution. Gantz said the Knesset is not “a refuge” for criminals and demanded that Edelstein not allow it to become so.
Blue and White is maneuvering to try to replace Edelstein as speaker if he does not allow a hearing on Netanyahu’s immunity to go ahead.
“Netanyahu has requested immunity, and we will use all parliamentary means and tools that are available to us to deliberate on his request,” Gantz said at Wednesday’s faction meeting. “I will not let anyone harm the democratic process and prevent such a hearing. Decisions on this issue must be made by tomorrow. We will not allow anyone to stall.”
Blue and White seeks to hold a vote on Netanyahu’s request for immunity in the criminal cases against him before the upcoming election, since there is currently a majority to reject it due to Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman’s firm position against granting Netanyahu immunity.
If the immunity request is rejected, the indictments against Netanyahu would be formally filed with the Jerusalem District Court, and a schedule for his trial could then be set.
Edelstein and the Likud are strongly opposed to the current Knesset voting on the immunity request, precisely because there is little chance it will be granted.
Knesset legal adviser Eyal Yinon ruled earlier this week that a Knesset House Committee can be formed to deal with Netanyahu’s request for immunity from prosecution in the criminal cases against him, even though the Knesset is in recess since elections have been called.
Edelstein then requested a new opinion from Yinon on whether he, as Knesset speaker, could block the committee from being formed, which he has yet to issue an opinion on.
Yinon has come under pressure from the Likud to recuse himself from issuing an opinion on whether the Knesset House Committee can be convened to deal with the immunity request. The Likud argues that since Yinon’s wife works in the Justice Ministry and was on the team reviewing the cases against Netanyahu, he had a clear conflict of interest.
Yinon formally refused to recuse himself on Wednesday, arguing that the matter before him is a procedural issue on the technicalities of forming a House Committee during a Knesset recess and does not in any way deal with the immunity request itself.
He also noted that claims he had a conflict of interest were made only after he issued his opinion that the committee could be formed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Avi Nissenkorn, who chairs the Knesset Arrangements Committee, said on Army Radio that Edelstein had been dragging his feet since last Wednesday, and the “sand timer” would run out this week.
Asked if he would seek to replace Edelstein as speaker if he does not let Netanyahu’s immunity request go forward, Nissenkorn said, “I am waiting for Edelstein’s decision... We are determined that the opinion of the majority [in the Knesset against immunity] will be adopted.


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