Justice Minister Shaked: Prime ministers don’t have to step down if indicted

Prime ministers don’t have to resign if indicted for a crime – only ministers, Israeli’s Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked explained in a TV interview Saturday. That’s the law, she said in relation to the corruption probes against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The moral aspect is a matter for debate among coalition partners, but there is still a long road before that, she said. “The police and district attorneys must still recommend an indictment and the Attorney General hold a hearing to confirm it. We still have have no idea how this will end. Newspapers thrive on headlines, speculation and assumptions. In a democracy, governments are elected not chosen through interrogations.”
Friday, Netanyahu's former chief of staff agreed to turn state's witness against his former mentor, raising speculation of an imminent indictment. The prime minister has denounced the allegations against him as trumped up to replace his government. He reiterates: “Nothing will be found because there is nothing to find.”