Pundits and election experts in Israel have already agreed that the elections scheduled for April 9 will focus on a single issue: the fate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His supporters will argue that Israeli law allows a prime minister to continue serving while under indictment, until a court finds him guilty. This is unlike all other ministers, who according to legal precedent must resign once indicted and subject to a hearing. Netanyahu's opponents will claim that it makes no sense to have someone continue to serve as prime minister when he is suspected of bribery, and his every effort will focus on saving his skin.
I am not trying to belittle the situation. It seems obvious that once Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who is considered a Netanyahu supporter, decided to indict the prime minister for serious crimes, it made no sense that he would remain in office. That cannot, however, be the only issue in the upcoming election campaign. Before new elections are held, and before the parties realign themselves in a new coalition and opposition, with each then expected to vote accordingly, several other major issues must be debated and discussed. These issues lie at the heart of public debate in Israel.
