Israel's top court delays law thwarting removal of Netanyahu from office

Jerusalem, Jan 4

Israel's Supreme Court has delayed the activation of a controversial law that aims at preventing declaring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unfit for office.

In a 6-5 vote, the Supreme Court judges on Wednesday ruled that the activation of the "Incapacitation Law" will be delayed until after the next elections. The ruling prevents Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, from benefiting from the law. The next elections are expected in about two more years but could be held earlier, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli parliament, or Knesset, dominated by Netanyahu's far-right coalition, passed the law in March 2023 as part of the government's controversial plan to reshape Israel's justice system. The law protects Netanyahu from being declared by the attorney general unfit for office over cases of conflict of interest.

Netanyahu has been working to overhaul the legal system while facing a criminal trial over three separate cases of corruption.