Knesset passes law shielding Netanyahu from court-ordered recusal

Final readings of Likud-sponsored bill, seen as tailored to save PM from potential legal trouble, approved after long night of heated debate; Lapid blasts ‘obscene, corrupt law’

By TOI STAFF and CARRIE KELLER-LYNN
Today, 6:43 am

The Knesset passed into law a bill that would protect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from a court order to recuse himself, in an early Thursday morning final vote of 61 Knesset members in favor and 47 against.

The bill passed its second and third (final) readings following hours-long, heated discussions in the plenum that stretched into the early morning.

The opposition had filed numerous objections to the bill, which was fast-tracked in Knesset’s House Committee, and promised to stage a fiery filibuster against the legislation, seen as being “tailored” to save Netanyahu from potential legal trouble. The stalling proved to be largely symbolic, as the bill’s sponsor, Likud faction chairman MK Ofir Katz, agreed with the opposition to limit debate on the recusal bill to a maximum of 16 hours. Deliberations began Wednesday night, and the law passed around 6 a.m. Thursday.

The legislation explicitly blocks the top court from ordering a prime minister to take a leave of absence, and is widely seen as a reaction to fears that the High Court of Justice could force Netanyahu to step down, due to the potential conflict of interest created by him overseeing his coalition’s bid to dramatically overhaul the judiciary while he is himself on trial for multiple corruption charges.

Netanyahu is on trial in three separate cases and facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust for allegedly taking expensive gifts from benefactors and attempting to arrange secret deals with media companies for more positive coverage. He denies wrongdoing.

Continued @ https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-passes-law-shielding-netanyahu-from-recusal-in-61-47-final-vote/