Netanyahu reportedly freezing Gantz lawsuit, PM denies

Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Benny Gantz (R) (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Benny Gantz (R)
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly froze the lawsuit against Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, following the recommendation of his lawyers.
A libel suit draft of NIS 1 million against Netanyahu's political opponents from the Blue and white party Benny Gantz, Moshe Ya'alon and Yair Lapid has been sitting on the prime minister's desk for a week. This despite the fact that Netanyahu declared before his flight to the United States that he instructed his lawyers to file the lawsuit against Ganz, Ya'alon and Lapid, in view of their allegations against him in the submarine affair and that he betrayed national security for money.
According to a report by Maariv, Netanyahu decided to freeze the lawsuit and refrained from submitting it, after his lawyers raised the suspicion that it might pose a problematic and unnecessary trap for him, because of the shares that Netanyahu held, which is being examined by the State Attorney's Office.
His lawyers told Netanyahu that he would have to testify and be interrogated on the witness stand for his part in the submarine affair, and would have to allow his opponents to look deeper into the facts of the case.
Since public debate had already moved on from the submarine affair to other issues, Netanyahu believed that there was little use in submitting the suit, which would bring the issue back on the table.
The Prime Minister's office denied the claim, saying it is "a complete lie. The lawsuit is being prepared and will be filed soon."