With the fate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the line, Israel’s Supreme Court has begun discussions on the question of whether the embattled leader can form a new government while facing criminal indictments.
The court’s decision, expected later this week, is shaping up as a watershed moment in Israeli history.
A ruling preventing Netanyahu from returning for another term would almost certainly trigger an unprecedented fourth consecutive election in just over a year and draw angry, perhaps violent, reactions from Netanyahu’s supporters.
A ruling in favor will be seen by critics as further weakening the country’s fragile democratic institutions and a victory for a prime minister bent on escaping prosecution.
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