(VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

With Knesset elections scheduled for April 9, 2019, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is faring well in the polls, but he is also keenly aware of the fact he may have to address one or several criminal indictments as Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is completing his work on the cases submitted to him by police.

As is the norm in Israel, Mr. Netanyahu would be summoned for a ‘shmu’a’, a pre-indictment hearing to permit him a last opportunity to present his case – to possibly persuade the attorney general of his innocence and thereby avoiding criminal indictments.

It now appears that even if summoned for such a hearing(s), Mandelblit would not announce his decision regarding indictments until after elections. As such, PM Netanyahu is calling on Mandelblit to delay the hearings too, for he feels that if the determination is not announced prior to elections, the very fact that the hearings take place would harm his election campaign.

In a very short video, Mr. Netanyahu is seen telling a joke of man walking down a street without an arm. He is asked “what happened?” The man responds that he was convicted of theft and lost the arm, but then found innocent on appeal, asking if he can get the arm back. This of course sends a clear message to AG Mandelblit regarding his case as if an indictment is filed before elections and he loses, and even if he is found innocent later, he cannot undo the events.

Opponents of the prime minister are outraged over the video, insisting the prime minister is scoffing at the legal system and has crossed all acceptable lines, calling on AG Mandelblit to act against him accordingly, now and not after elections. The controversial video was released to social media on Shabbos. Yesh Atid party chairman MK Yair Lapid commented it appears PM Netanyahu Israel is Saudi Arabia. Lapid insists if he is indictment, then he, Mr. Netanyahu, cannot run in the elections.

Interestingly, as the video circulated, Chadashot News on motzei Shabbos that 64% of the people believe Mandelblit should announce his decision regarding and indictment ahead of elections, pending a pre-indictment hearing. 22% said no and 14% are undecided. The poll included 507 Israelis, conducted on January 3, with a margin of error of +/- 4.4%.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)