A-G Mandelblit: No room for my opinion if Netanyahu can form government

"I leave it to the court to decide whether to discuss the petitions before the March elections, when it has considerations for and against it," Mandeblit claimed.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
MANDELBLIT (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
MANDELBLIT
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit answered the High Court of Justice, claiming that there is no room for him to make a decision on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can attempt and form a government after the March 2 election, until the court rules if Netanyahu has to resign.
Mandelblit essentially returned the ball back to the court, which would now have to rule on several petitions filed on Netanyahu's legal cases, and decide whether he can run for elections.
The High Court pushed Mandelblit closer to having to rule imminently on whether the prime minister is eligible to run to keep his office.
Justice Ofer Grosskopf did give Mandelblit wiggle room, by technically only asking him if he thought he needed to give a concrete opinion before Election Day. Grosskopf also asked Mandelblit if he believes the High Court must rule on the issue before the election.
"I leave it to the court to decide whether to discuss the petitions before the March elections, when it has considerations for and against it," Mandeblit claimed. "As long as the court does not consider it appropriate to discuss the questions raised in the petition at this time, there is no reason [for me] to give an opinion on this issue."