Knesset passes law protecting Netanyahu from being declared unfit for office by attorney general

Israel’s parliament has passed a law preventing the attorney general from declaring a prime minister unfit to for office. 

The bill, which is seen as tailored to Prime Minister Netanyahu, will ensure that a prime minister can only be declared unfit by him or herself or by a three-quarters of the cabinet due to health or mental issues.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the government of passing a “despicable and corrupt law like thieves in the night.”

The bill was also harshly criticised by other opposition lawmakers, including Yisrael Beitenu party leader Avigdor Lieberman who said: “We will not allow the State of Israel to become a Netanyahu monarchy.”

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz called the law “personal” meant to “strengthen” Netanyahu’s rule.

The new law comes after speculation mounted in recent weeks that the attorney general might declare Netanyahu unfit due to conflict of interests  over his own corruption trial and the government’s judicial overhaul.

Last month, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara told Netanyahu that he can’t be involved in the judicial reforms “due to the reasonable suspicion of a conflict of interests between issues pertaining to the legal proceedings against you, and the array of legislative initiatives and their substantive components.”

Netanyahu later declared Baharav-Miara’s order “unacceptable,” arguing that as head of state he should be allowed to be involved in crucial matters like a judicial reform.

In 2020, Netanyahu signed an agreement with the High Court of Justice, barring him from dealing with “matters concerning the activities of the Judicial Appointments Committee and in all matters concerning the justices of the High Court of Justice.”

The judicial overhaul currently being advanced by Netanyahu’s coalition will give the government control with the appointments of High Court judges and will simultaneously allow a simple majority of 61 lawmakers to override High Court decisions.

Netanyahu denies that there is any link between the judicial overhaul and his own three corruption cases.