In 2008, the police were closing in on Ehud Olmert. Say what you want about him – he brought shame to Israel, or he was corrupt – it makes no difference. He understood already then that he couldn’t continue as prime minister. That is why on July 30, 2008, Olmert announced his resignation, and in March 2009 following an election in which he didn’t run, he was replaced by Benjamin Netanyahu. Olmert’s decision was not easy, but he understood that he could not remain in office with an ongoing police investigation and an indictment on the way. When he stepped down there was only a police recommendation that he be charged. An indictment would be filed in August 2009, five months after he left office. Netanyahu is a different matter. The harsh and severe indictment filed against him on Thursday night came while he is still serving as prime minister. This is an unhealthy situation, one that is bad for the government, bad for Netanyahu, and bad for the State of Israel. Netanyahu has every right to fight for his innocence and he should. In a democracy, every person is innocent until proven guilty. But the nation needs to come first. After 71 years of statehood and 2,000 years of yearning, Israel is too precious to be dragged through the mud and destroyed from within. It is incumbent upon Netanyahu to do the right thing. I know about Basic Law: Government, which clearly states that a prime minister is allowed to remain in office even after he or she is indicted, and only needs to step down once a final verdict is handed down. Not a verdict in the first court that hears the case but in the appeal, or the appeal on the appeal. Basically, in a long time. But let’s be honest – as talented as Netanyahu is, he can’t go to court in the morning and fight for his freedom, and then come back to the office in the afternoon to convene the security cabinet and approve airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria. The prime minister will be distracted, unfocused and unable to properly execute his duties. Moreover, any move a prime minister makes in such a position would be viewed suspiciously: did he just order the targeted killing of a terrorist in Gaza to influence the judges? Was it done to sway public opinion? Nothing will be looked at purely. Everything will be tainted. Then there is the damage this will cause Israel’s moral fabric. Staying in office, as Netanyahu on Thursday night indicated he will do, will eat away at Israel’s moral character from the inside. Is this the role model we want to show our children? Is this the type of leadership we want at the helm of our nation? Speaking from the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem on Thursday night, Netanyahu had no remorse. He blamed the attorney general, the police, the media, and everyone but himself. He was the victim who did nothing wrong. He accused the justice system of trying to overthrow him, of coercing witnesses to lie and to fabricate evidence. This is dangerous talk. Does Netanyahu really want people taking to the streets? Does he want a civil war? Does he want a situation that prosecutors are attacked by angry mobs or policemen are cursed when patrolling our neighborhoods? Netanyahu made clear that he is holding onto his seat and will fight tooth-and-nail until the end. This is wrong. The country has to come first. Israel has to come first. Our children have to come first. It is time to do what is responsible. It is time to step down.
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