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Israeli minister advances law excluding Netanyahu from premiership

Justice Minister Gideon Saar is advancing a law proposal that will prevent any person indicted for serious criminal offenses to participate in government formation.
Gideon Saar, chairman of the New Hope party, and his wife Geula are pictured outside a polling station, in the country's fourth national election in two years, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 23, 2021.

Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Saar released Oct. 19 a draft of a bill he is proposing, which would bar a lawmaker charged with a serious crime from cobbling together a government. A serious crime would mean in this case an indictment that could result in three years or more of incarceration. If the bill is approved, it could prevent former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power.

According to appraisals in the coalition, such a bill could garner a majority: Even if there will be those in the coalition who oppose the bill, Knesset members of the opposition Arab Joint List party would support it.

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