The Movement for quality government in Israel on Sunday submitted the first petition to the High Court of Justice calling on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to be forced to resign in light of the attorney general's decision to indict him for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
The petition was filed in light of the severity of the acts attributed to the prime minister in the indictment and in light of what they define as "Netanyahu's severe impediment to his ministry duties is expected to cause a drop in public trust in the government authorities, in the correctness of its operation and in its purity."
The motion notes that the petition is in line with the court's ruling and the constitutional practice that has crystallized over the past 25 years.
In the petition, the motion demands that the prime minister resign as prime minister, and act in accordance with the court's ruling on the matter of Minister Aryeh Deri and Deputy Minister Pinhasi, and remove himself from office as minister. In addition, the movement demands that the court order the Israeli government to appoint a deputy prime minister from among the ministers.
Alternatively, the movement wants the prime minister to declare he will step down temporarily, under the Basic Law. If he does not do so, the movement claims, the attorney general will have to order him to declare his immediate resignation.
ll this, in light of the extreme unreasonableness of the PM's decision not to resign, in light of the Supreme Court's long-standing rulings on the appointment of senior officials in the public service.
Attorney Tomer Naor, Chief legal adviser of the Movement for Quality government, stated: "The filing of an indictment against an incumbent prime minister crosses a red line and severely damages public confidence in the government authorities in the State of Israel. An interim prime minister who has not received the confidence of the current Knesset will not be able to serve as the indictment's heavy shadow is carried out in the most serious offenses that a public official can commit, and unfortunately it seems that the court's intervention cannot be avoided."
Movement chairman Dr. Eliad Shraga added: "A prime minister under indictment cannot serve for even one minute. He must be allowed to exhaust all possibilities and fight for his innocence as a private person, but we will regret it if the prime minister pulls the the whole state into court with him. It is unfair and unethical."