Lapid: We'll push a law barring those under indictment from forming gov't

Yesh Atid-Telem chairman and current head of the opposition Yair Lapid announced Monday that he will bring forward a law in the Knesset barring persons under indictment from forming a governing coalition, according to a press release from his spokesperson on Monday. 'This Wednesday we will bring to the Knesset the law to prevent a person under indictment forming a government. If anyone wants to know why, they need only look at Benjamin Netanyahu, all the evidence is there. Look at Netanyahu for the past three months, there is nothing he does which doesn't stem from his indictments. Everything he does begins and ends there,' Lapid said in a statement. The statement also noted that the current government is bloated, consisting of '36 ministers and 16 deputy ministers – because of [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] indictments.' 'He isn't passing a budget – because of his indictments. He went to the Finance Committee to arrange a million shekels worth of tax benefits for himself because he needs money to pay for his lawyers,' Lapid noted. On the topic of the daily protests against Netanyahu taking place throughout Israel, Lapid said 'He created an industry of violent incitement, tearing this country apart from within. He's trying to hurt Avichai Mendelblit– because he's put him on trial. '[Netanyahu is] running a campaign against Liat Ben Ari, the prosecutor in his trial. His people are protesting outside the home of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. There is no respect for anything. He knows that if Israel remains a law-abiding democracy, he'll go to jail. So he wants Israel to stop being a democracy and to stop having the rule of law, just to escape jail.' Lapid also took aim at Netanyahu handling of the coronavirus, saying 'His failure in managing the corona crisis is because the thing that drives him is his indictments. Everything is so that he can hold a press conference and congratulate himself.' In a comment directed at his former Blue and White alliance partner Alternate Prime Minister and current Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Lapid said '[Netanyahu] is playing with you. Don't you see that? Haven't you had enough of being puppets? It's a law that you're signed on to, more than that your lawyer wrote it.' 'If you want to preserve some of your dignity, if you still want to call yourselves honest then come on Wednesday and vote for the law. Pass the law and then maybe we can sit and talk about what we do next,' Lapid implored.

Lapid: We'll push a law barring those under indictment from forming gov't

"Netanyahu has created an industry of violent incitement, tearing this country apart," Lapid said.

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Lapid: We'll push a law barring those under indictment from forming gov't

"Netanyahu has created an industry of violent incitement, tearing this country apart," Lapid said.

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