PM Netanyahu
PM NetanyahuPhoto by Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will submit a request for parliamentary immunity to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) within the next few days.

In a statement the Likud party said: "Contrary to the reports, immunity is a temporary issue restricted only to the period of the term, and it is not avoiding justice. In any case, Prime Minister Netanyahu has not yet made a decision on the issue, and he will announce his decision in the coming days."

Separately, the Labor-Gesher party issued a statement Saturday night saying: "What is the Prime Minister busying himself with tonight? Is it the collapsing healthcare system and those who are hospitalized in hallways? Is it the security situation in the south? The rifts in Israeli society? No."

"The Prime Minister is busy 24/7 with his political survival. He sits with lawyers, plans how to escape justice and hide behind immunity. Labor-Gesher will do everything to torpedo Netanyahu's attempts at escape."

The Democratic Union party said it intends to fight Netanyahu's request for immunity: "Anyone who says there was nothing because there is nothing, should fight for his innocence in court and not hold an entire country hostage."

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hold a discussion regarding whether Netanyahu should be allowed to form a government, if his party wins enough support in the upcoming elections.