Avigdor Liberman
Avigdor LibermanYisrael Beytenu spokeperson

Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman on Saturday night commented on the possibility that former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sign a plea bargain.

"The Netanyahu deal is the big bang of the political system. The election of the successor of the leadership of the Likud is a process that will take several months and I hope that this good government will continue to function. There is no need to get excited," Liberman told Channel 12 News.

"I have no doubt he is working on a loophole that will allow him to return to power," he claimed.

Meanwhile, former Justice Minister Amir Ohana (Likud) said he hoped the plea deal would not be signed.

"Every day, when we see what is happening in the Jerusalem District Court, we see the shame of the law enforcement system that is supposed to maintain moral purity, honesty, justice - it is exposed," he explained. "It's a necessary part of the repair that needs to be done there and there is a lot to fix."

At the same time, Ohana did not rule out the possibility of running for the leadership of the Likud after Netanyahu steps away.

Former Finance Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) said he was surprised by the reports of a plea bargain, and declared that the members of the Likud would support any choice Netanyahu makes.

"It would be a sad moment if it went this way. I did not think it would get to that," said Katz.

On Friday, it was reported on Channel 12 that the Prosecutor's Office estimates that Netanyahu has decided to sign a plea bargain.

If the agreement will be signed, it will be signed next week.

According to the report, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak recommended that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit aim for a plea bargain, but not compromise on the admission of moral turpitude.

A separate report on Channel 13 News cited sources with knowledge of the details of the plea bargain as saying that the chances of Netanyahu signing a deal are 50-50.

On Wednesday, Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu is engaging in negotiations with Mandelblit for a possible plea bargain. Netanyahu is said to have agreed to Mandelblit’s demand that he resign from the Knesset before being convicted, and to leave politics for several years.

Mandelblit also reportedly demanded that Netanyahu be given a minimum sentence of at least community service and an admission of moral turpitude, which could hinder Netanyahu’s return to politics.

On Thursday, Channel 12 News reported that prosecutors are prepared to make major concessions to Netanyahu in order to secure a plea bargain.

According the report, prosecutors are willing to rewrite the “Case 4000” indictment - which in its current form includes one charge of bribery, the most serious charges Netanyahu currently faces in any of the indictments against him.

Prosecutors are reportedly willing to drop the bribery charge and instead focusing only on the breach of trust charges in the indictment.

The report claimed that prosecutors are even prepared to close “Case 2000” entirely, dropping all charges related to accusations that Netanyahu and Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozes made an arrangement to push legislation limiting the free distribution of a rival newspaper in exchange for favorable coverage of Netanyahu.

In the “Case 1000” indictment – relating to claims Netanyahu and his family received hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for assistance in securing tax breaks and travel visas – prosecutors are reportedly willing to remove the fraud charge.