Coronavirus keeps Bibi out of court - How interesting!

[yankeedoodle]

Saved by the virus: Netanyahu gets 2-month delay on corruption trial amid coronavirus emergency
https://www.rt.com/news/483164-israeli-pm-netanyahus-criminal-trial-posponed/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome

The corruption trial of Benjamin Netanyahu, which was due to start on Tuesday, has been delayed until at least May 24 due to a state of emergency declared by the Justice Ministry.

As Israel battles the spread of Covid-19 by shutting down public venues and planning Big-Brother-style surveillance of infected individuals, Justice Minister Amir Ohana announced a state of emergency for the country's courts. With all but a few sessions banned, one particular case has been put on hold.

The corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday at Jerusalem District Court, will not be able to proceed and has been postponed until at least May 24. Earlier this week, the court rejected a request for a 45-day postponement of the trial, which Netanyahu's defense team requested in order to get more time to review the evidence.

Israel currently has 200 confirmed coronavirus cases. On Sunday, the country's Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit approved the use of Israeli state surveillance technology to track patients' cell phones at the request of Netanyahu. Other measures to curb the spread include imposing air traffic restrictions and demanding that foreigners arriving in the country self-quarantine.

The delay may be canceled if the 24-hour emergency is not extended, but Israeli media say this is highly unlikely. The NGO Movement for Quality Government also filed a motion asking the attorney general to block the minister's order, citing his provisional status.

Netanyahu faces seven counts in three criminal charges, including fraud, breach of trust and bribery. He tried to secure immunity from prosecution from the Israeli Parliament ahead of last week's general election, but withdrew the bid just before it could be heard by lawmakers as it was clear it would be rejected.

The vote itself was as indecisive as the two previous ones, keeping Netanyahu in office without a clear public mandate. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, he has been calling on his prime competitor, Benny Gantz, to form an "emergency unity government." Gantz's party won 33 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, compared to Netanyahu's 36.

[Fester]

YankeeDoodle, this (((corona virus))) seems like a cure-all.  Quarantine, lockdown, cattle sorting, vaccination, sucking the shekels out of the stock market, prepping the public for (((Socialist solutions))) and keeping large cockroches like Bibi from court.

[yankeedoodle]

YankeeDoodle, this (((corona virus))) seems like a cure-all.  Quarantine, lockdown, cattle sorting, vaccination, sucking the shekels out of the stock market, prepping the public for (((Socialist solutions))) and keeping large cockroches like Bibi from court.

All that is true.  Just heard that the fuckers in New York are demanding military intervention.

But, conspiracy theorist that I am, I think it could be even worse.  Have you noticed that countries are telling their citizens abroad to come home? 

I think the jews have their big war planned, and people are being told to come home, ostensibly to escape this virus, but also to escape this war that is to come.

[yankeedoodle]

Oh, look, not only does the chronavirus keep Bibi out of court, it looks like it keeps him in power, too.   

Isn't that amazing?!    

How'd dat happen? 

Coronavirus may force Gantz to form unity government with Netanyahu
https://mondoweiss.net/2020/03/coronavirus-may-force-gantz-to-form-unity-government-with-netanyahu/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-email-mailpoet

As the coronavirus continued to sweep across Israel, it seemed like embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was catching a break.

Over the weekend, due to a "state of extraordinary emergency," the acting Justice Minister issued an order to postpone Netanyahu's criminal trial — during which he will face charges of bribery, corruption, and fraud — for 10 weeks until the end of May.

At the same time, Netanyahu and the Shin Bet, Israel's internal intelligence agency, got the needed approval from the Attorney General to employ highly-criticized surveillance technology that tracks the every move of people in the country afflicted with the virus.

But just as things seemed to be working in Netanyahu's favor, his rival Benny Gantz surprisingly received a majority, albeit a very slight one, of recommendations from Knesset lawmakers, landing him the opportunity to form a government.

The news came as a shock to many after both the Arab Joint List, who have likened Gantz to Netanyahu, and the secular right wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, lead by former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, backed Gantz and his Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) party.

In the past two election cycles, Lieberman has refused to join a coalition that would include the Joint List, which he has called "enemies" of Israel, ultimately forcing a stalemate and new elections.

Gantz also received the support of the left-wing Labor-Meretz coalition.

Despite receiving the backing of 61 MKs, Gantz is likely to face an uphill battle, as Netanyahu and others push for the formation of an emergency unity government to deal with the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin summoned both Gantz and Netanyahu on Sunday, urging the two to form a unity government in order to tackle the coronavirus crisis, saying the country would not be able to handle a fourth round of elections.

Gantz had previously declined a proposal by Netanyahu to form an emergency unity government, dismissing it as another political ploy by the premiere.

"Someone who wants unity does not postpone their trial at 1 A.M.," Gantz said, referring to the postponement of Netnayahu's trial which was carried out hastily in the middle of the night.

By Monday morning, however, the tides seemed to have turned as Gantz announced that he would form a broad unity government "within days," and was continuing talks with Netanyhau's camp, at the behest of Rivlin.

"These are not normal days," Haaretz quoted Gantz as saying, adding that his government would "heal the Israeli society of the coronavirus, as well of the virus of hatred and division."

For now, Gantz and Kahol Lavan are reportedly working quickly to form a unity government. If that fails, they will revert back to forming a government with the support of the Joint List and Yisrael Beiteinu.

As the number of coronavirus cases in Israeli continues to rise, with 250 cases reported as of Monday, the pressure is on for Gantz to prove that he can end Israel's political deadlock, without giving Netanyahu the "coronavirus win" that he desires.