Erdan
ErdanFlash 90

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Thursday that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would not have to resign if Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit decides to indict him in the investigations popularly referred to as "Case 1000" and "Case 2000".

Speaking to Channel 20, Erdan said that "the Prime Minister does not have to resign if he is handed an indictment", contending that "if Netanyahu would be forced to resign, and then was found innocent in court, the damage in Israeli democracy, the damage that it would cause to the public, who supports the prime minister and the Likud, it would be a very serious hit."

Erdan also vowed to crack down on the rampant leaks emanating from the police regarding the probes into Netanyahu. "I told the Attorney General that these things harm the public's trust in the law enforcement system."

Erdan also refused to say whether he would extend the term of Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, which is set to expire in the summer. Alsheikh has drawn fire from the ruling Likud party, which accuses him of overzealously prosecuting Netanyahu.

In February, investigators announced that they believed sufficient evidence had been collected to merit indictments against the Prime Minister in two separate corruption cases, known as “Case 1000” and “Case 2000”.

While Netanyahu has been emphatic that he will not step down over the police recommendation to indict him, should Mandelblit approve the police department’s recommendations to indict, the Prime Minister will face pressure from both inside and outside of his coalition government.