MK Miki Zohar of the Likud responded Friday to reports that opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may reach a plea bargain with Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit.
"The right thing in Netanyahu's case is to completely acquit him," Zohar told 103 FM Radio. "I don't think that there was a real legal case. It was his subjective decision. If a person is negotiating a plea bargain, it's because he doesn't want to go through the torment of trial. I don't know if Netanyahu will do that or not, I don't speak with him about the issue."
"I will accept any decision he makes," he added. "The more the testimonies continue, [the more] we understand that this whole issue is one huge u-turn. It's clear that we are paying a price for Netanyahu's positions. Together with what I know about this legal event, it sounds very unrealistic to me for Netanyahu to admit [guilt]. I don't think that he is guilty of what they are charging him with."
Regarding the current government, Zohar said: "The current government is based on opportunist principles. Its members took advantage of the hatred towards Netanyahu in order to form the government. We see that the Negev is burning. In no situation did we contemplate a coalition with Ra'am."
"I really can't say whether Netanyahu will leave the Likud. I think that right now, discussing something that will happen after Netanyahu is not the right thing. We hope that Netanyahu will stay. It's still too early to decide ahead of time what will happen in this situation or that one."