Netanyahu rival Gantz says PM has ‘no moral mandate’

Netanyahu’s main political rival says the indicted prime minister has “no public or moral mandate to make fateful decisions for the state of Israel.”

By Associated Press

Former army chief Benny Gantz said in a statement Thursday the indictment raises concerns that Benjamin Netanyahu “will make decisions in his own personal interest and for his political survival and not in the national interest,” adding that the prime minister has “no public or moral mandate to make fateful decisions for the state of Israel.”

Netanyahu and Gantz were virtually tied after September’s elections and each failed to assemble a majority coalition in parliament. The country now appears headed into an unprecedented third round of elections in less than a year, in part because of Netanyahu’s legal woes.

Gantz’s comments arrived about an hour after Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit general formally charged Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases.

Mandelblit issued an indictment Thursday charging Netanyahu with fraud, breach of trust and bribery. He was scheduled to address reporters later Thursday.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and said he is a victim of a witch hunt.

Criminal charges would not force Netanyahu to resign, but they would likely fuel calls for him to step down.