The “Immunity Law” initiated by MK Miki Zohar has been placed on the Knesset table. The bill had been submitted to the previous Knesset but was not promoted, and is now being submitted anew.
The explanatory notes to the bill state that "The Immunity Law, the Rights and Duties of Members of the Knesset, 5711-1951 (hereafter - the Immunity Law) determined in its original version that an MK shall not be criminally prosecuted for a transgression committed during his time as an MK or before he became an MK, except after being deprived of immunity for the charge in question.”
“In accordance with the aforesaid section, in order to remove immunity from the MK, the Attorney General had to submit an application to the House Committee on this matter, and the Committee's proposal regarding the removal of immunity was brought for the approval of the Knesset."
“In 2005, the Immunity Law was amended in this context. According to the said amendment, an indictment against an MK is submitted with the approval of the Attorney General, who submits a copy of the indictment to the MK, to the Speaker of the Knesset and to the Chairman of the House Committee. After submitting the aforesaid indictment, the MK has 30 days to request that the Knesset, according to the proposal of the House Committee, determine that he have immunity from the charges in the indictment due to one or more of the grounds set forth in the law.
“It is proposed to restore the legal situation that existed prior to the amendment of the law in 2005, and to establish that, in order for an indictment against the MK to be submitted, the Knesset be required to remove immunity, in accordance with the proposal of the House Committee."
Last week, The Prime Minister's Office and Minister Yariv Levin, who heads the coalition negotiating team on behalf of the Likud, declared that "the issue of immunity will not be part of the coalition agreements."