Israelis donate NIS 2.5 million to Netanyahu’s legal battle amid rumours of plea bargain
Thousands of Israelis have donated close to NIS 2.5 million in 24 hours to support Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal battle, amid rumours that he is on his way to sign a plea bargain.
Benjamin Netanyahu Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90
Under the banner “Netanyahu – you will never march alone,” some 16,000 Israelis donated sums ranging from NIS 18 to NIS 5,000, including Likud members and politicians from other political parties.
“We are going out today to mobilize the large masses of the right-wing camp out of a sense and understanding that Netanyahu’s trial is the result of persecution and an attempt to obtain in any way and at any cost a conviction of the camp leader, and with the intention of distancing him from state leadership,” the campaign initiators explained.
“Today, we the national camp members, are doing our part to protect the camp leader because when the left and the prosecution put Benjamin Netanyahu on the dock – they put us all on it. This trial does not belong to Netanyahu alone and he does not sit there alone. That is why we are all taking part today in funding the trial – because this trial belongs to the entire right-wing camp,” they added.
Left-wing lawyers are claiming that the crowdfunding campaign is illegal.
Netanyahu is currently facing charges in court in Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, alleging bribery, breach of trust, and fraud.
This unprecedented massive funding comes amid reports that Netanyahu is on the verge of signing a plea bargain.
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, who filed the indictment against Netanyahu, is set to leave office at the end of the month, and therefore both sides are under pressure to finalize a deal in the coming days.
One crucial issue in disagreement is a clause that would force Netanyahu to leave politics. Mandelblit is reportedly demanding that the deal include a disgrace clause that would ban Netanyahu from running for office in the next seven years, while Netanyahu is seeking to avoid this.
The latest reports are that his family is split on the issue, and his attorneys are pushing him to sign the deal.
A plea bargain could send to political system into a tailspin, including infighting in the Likud over the identity of his successor, and even the toppling of the government and general elections.
