Opposition: ‘Mob boss’ Netanyahu must quit

Livni added after Netanyahu’s speech that his accusation that the police made up fictitious cases against him was “the defense of a mob boss,” and that he “made truth into lies and lies into truth.”

By GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: DECEMBER 3, 2018 02:09
MK Yair Lapid on PM Benjamin Netanyhu's corruption cases
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must resign from his post as prime minister due to the Israel Police’s recommendation to indict him and his attacks on police in his speech to Likud activists, the heads of the opposition said Sunday night.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni said following the release of the police recommendations that “Netanyahu must go, before he destroys law enforcement authorities in order to save his own skin.” She said the people of Israel deserve leadership that is clean, and therefore there must be elections.
She added after Netanyahu’s speech that his accusation that the police made up fictitious cases against him was “the defense of a mob boss,” and that he “made truth into lies and lies into truth.”
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said the speech proved the prime minister is “too stressed and panicky by the cloud of corruption hanging over his head to govern,” and therefore has no ethical and public mandate to continue making fateful decisions for the state.
Lapid said Netanyahu continue to govern endangered Israeli democracy, and he must therefore hand over the reins to another Likud MK until the 2019 election takes place.
“Netanyahu, your time is over,” Zionist Union faction head Yoel Hasson said. “Israel must go to elections, not in May or November, but now!”
Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg submitted a bill to disperse the Knesset and called upon all MKs who care about clean governance to vote for it.
“The most serious bribery case so far leaves no room for doubt,” Zandberg said. “The prime minister has no moral and public mandate to sit in his chair and must resign today. Israel must go to elections.”
Zandberg added after the speech that Netanyahu had “adopted the language of the underworld.” In a reference to Hanukkah, she said that “light will defeat darkness when Bibi goes home.”
The decision to publish the results of the investigation came on Police Chief Roni Alsheich’s second-to-last day. Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev (Likud), who is close to Netanyahu, said the timing was no coincidence.
“Alsheich is continuing to do everything he can to slam the door as hard as he can as he leaves,” Regev said. “I trust the prime minister and his wife, who are honest and fair people, who care about the State of Israel and its citizens. It is time to stop hanging elected officials in public squares.”
Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud) said “the calls of the heads of the Left to quit are absurd, because Netanyahu has not been convicted of anything and the final decision of the justice system is still far away.”
Yvette J. Deane contributed to this report.