Prime Minister <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Tags/Benjamin-Netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> expressed confidence on Thursday that even if a Democrat wins the American election, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan will be implemented.



Speaking with The Jerusalem Post in his first English-speaking interview ahead of the March 2 election, Netanyahu said that what could stop the plan, however, is him not winning the election.



“Once the Trump plan is put forward, the goalposts will have been moved, and it will be very difficult for any administration to move them back,” Netanyahu said. “We will move forward this plan once the mapping process is done, and it won’t take long, as long as I am re-elected.



”Asked if it was important to apply sovereignty over territories before the American election, he said it would not be a factor.



“Any administration, Democrat or Republican, will have to work by the new realities,” he said. “They will have to take the new situation into account. You can’t work based on falsehoods. Any attempt to advance a US plan that is based on falsehoods will crash due to the realities. That is what happened again and again and again. 



&#8220;I’m sure the next administration, whatever it will be, will have to consider the fact that there’s a new plan.”



Netanyahu did not express concern about any of the Democratic candidates, saying, “I’ll work fine with Democrats or Republicans.”



But he said he was worried about Israel if Blue and White would take power.



“If there’s an Israeli government that is weak on Iran, as Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid have been, then obviously we’ll be in trouble,” he said. “As long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nukes.”



Asked what would be worse for Israel, a minority government or a fourth election, he said “both of them would be very bad options, and both will happen if people don’t go out and vote for <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Tags/Likud">Likud.</a>



“Benny Gantz can’t form a government without relying on the support of Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi and the Joint List,” he said. “The numbers are just not there. With Labor and Yisrael Beytenu, he has 50 to 52 seats. If Likud doesn’t win, there will be either a fourth election or a left-wing government headed by Gantz and dependent on Ahmad Tibi and the Joint List.”



Reacting to Gantz saying on Thursday that he would build a government without the &#8220;active support&#8221; of the Arab Joint List, Netanyahu said Gantz wants to get MKs to defect from the right-wing bloc so he will have more Jewish votes and then Joint List MKs could abstain and not vote. But Netanyahu said that would be no more legitimate.



After Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman said Thursday that Netanyahu’s career is over, the prime minister said people should know that if they vote for Liberman, they will get Tibi.



“People should ask his motivations, which make no political sense,” Netanyahu said.



When asked how he would be able to govern while on trial, he said, “What I do in one hour my opponents can’t do in a year because they lack the orientation, the experience and the ability. 



&#8220;I have proven what I have done over the last 10 years. Israel is a world power,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;We’re ranked as the eighth power in the world. That didn’t happen by itself. That happened even though over the past three years, I have been hounded by an absurd witch hunt. Instead of working 16 hours a day, I will work 15-hour days.&#8221;



Netanyahu admitted he had a goal he has not succeeded in accomplishing despite his close relationship with the Trump administration: Getting approval to enable Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel.



“We have put in a request,” he said. “It’s a very good thing that he was let out of prison. He is living now in New York. Obviously, we want to see him repatriated to Israel. We are working on it, but I can’t speak for the US administration, which has done many things for Israel. I hope he will be allowed to come to Israel, but there are legal procedures in the United States.”



Netanyahu called upon English speakers in Israel to attend a rally he is hosting for them on Sunday in Ramat Gan, for which registration is required.



“I have enormous respect for their contribution to Israel and the world,” he said. “The contribution of English speakers from the United States and other English-speaking countries is enormous because they bring these values that are so important to Israel. They understand the importance of Israel as a free country, where people can speak their minds. 



&#8220;But we still have a long way to go in respecting a plurality of opinions, because the press is still deeply concentrated and hostile,&#8221; Netanyahu concluded.

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Benjamin Netanyahu to ‘Post’: Democratic president can’t stop Trump plan

<a href="https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Prime-Minister-Benjamin-Netanyahu-prevents-Likud-leadership-race-609883">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a> called upon Blue and White leader Benny Gantz at a Likud rally in Ma&#8217;ale Adumim on Saturday night to immediately fire adviser Ronen Tzur and distance himself from former adviser Joel Benenson for past statements comparing US President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, The <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Netanyahu-calls-on-Gantz-to-fire-adviser-who-compared-Trump-to-Hitler-616955" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Jerusalem Post</a> report.



Tzur, who is a personal adviser to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Netanyahu-invites-Gantz-to-talks-on-unity-608429">Gantz</a>, tweeted in March 2016 “The book of the 21st century: Mein Trumpf” and called the president “Donald Adolf Trump.”



Tzur apologized when his tweet was highlighted two weeks ago, calling Trump &#8220;the bravest president of the US and the most significant one for Israel’s security in latest generations&#8221; and saying that he saluted him.



Benenson, who advised past Blue and White&#8217;s September campaign but not the current one, tweeted on Oct. 28, 2018: “he would have learned Hitler’s demonizing term for the press: ‘lugenpresse.’ Trump’s translation is ‘Fake News.&#8221; Berenson&#8217;s tweet was revealed last week by Jewish News syndicate reporter Ariel Ben Solomon.



Netanyahu repeatedly bashed Gantz in his speech, saying over and over again that a vote for Gantz was a vote for Joint List faction chairman Ahmad Tibi. Netanyahu also criticized Gantz for refusing to condemn former prime minister Ehud Olmert for saying he would meet with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in New York to jointly condemn Trump&#8217;s Middle East peace plan.



&#8220;This is not how a leader acts,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;I tell you, Benny Gantz, disconnect from Olmert. Condemn him. Why are you stuttering here?&#8221;



Netanyahu apologized on January 22 for offending people who stutter when he made fun of Gantz the day before at the Likud’s opening campaign rally at the Jerusalem International Convention Center. Netanyahu played a video at the Jerusalem rally of Gantz stuttering when talking about his accomplishments: “Before, it was us or them, but now, it’s us or the-e-e-em,” Netanyahu said mockingly.



After AMBI – Israeli Stuttering Association protested, Netanyahu said his words were merely intended to show that Gantz lacks accomplishments and had nothing to offer the citizens of Israel. He blamed the media for portraying what he said as offensive.



“Unlike how it was presented in the press, my words, of course, did not relate to people of any handicap, and if anyone was offended by what I said, I am very sorry,” Netanyahu wrote on Twitter.



Gantz criticized Netanyahu on Twitter on Friday, claiming he has lost control over the security situation.



“The security situation over the last few days only serves to emphasize what everyone is already feeling: Netanyahu is losing control and acting irresponsibly,” Gantz said. “He has turned the cabinet into a circus, he replaces defense ministers like they’re socks and uses our foreign policy for his political campaign,” he added. “Unlike him, I will manage Israel’s security policy in a responsible manner and bring back Israel’s deterrence factor.”



Gantz promised on Twitter on Saturday night to reveal on Sunday morning what he called “Case 5000,” referring to 5000 Israelis who die annually unnecessarily because of problems with the health system.

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Netanyahu calls on Gantz to fire adviser who compared Trump to Hitler

A surprise meeting between Sudan&#8217;s leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stirred controversy in Sudan on Tuesday, with the government saying it wasn&#8217;t notified ahead of time and critics lambasting the talks on social media, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/africa">reports</a>. 



Others said the meeting would improve Sudan&#8217;s standing with the United States and help Khartoum shed its pariah image. For Israel, it was a major diplomatic breakthrough with an Arab African state, two days after the Arab League rejected President Donald Trump&#8217;s Mideast plan.



The Uganda meeting between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the head of Sudan&#8217;s transitional government, and Netanyahu was kept secret but grabbed headlines late Monday when the Israeli leader announced the two had began talks on normalizing relations between their countries.



Sudan is desperate to lift sanctions linked to its listing by the U.S. as a state sponsor of terror &#8211; a key step toward ending its isolation and rebuilding the economy after the popular uprising last year that toppled the country&#8217;s autocrat Omar al-Bashir and installed the joint civilian-military sovereign council, headed by Burhan.



But Khartoum is also a longtime member of the Arab League and joined other members in rejecting Trump&#8217;s plan at a meeting in Cairo on Saturday. The U.S. plan, heavily in favor of Israel, would grant the Palestinians limited self-rule in parts of the occupied West Bank, while allowing Israel to annex all its settlements there and keep nearly all of east Jerusalem.



From Uganda, Netanyahu tweeted: &#8220;History!&#8221; while his office said the meeting with Burhan came at the invitation of Uganda. The statement said Netanyahu &#8220;believes that Sudan is moving in a new and positive direction&#8221;&nbsp;&#8211; an apparent reference to a possible removal from the terror list.



&#8220;We agreed to begin cooperation that will lead to normalization of relations between the two countries,&#8221; Netanyahu said.



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><a href="https://media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced/s3/afp-image/2020/02/ec38193f470bfbbf69f39ecdd3eb5a9ffcc5e87a.jpg?itok=O7jj3iXK"><img src="https://media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced_410px_wide/s3/afp-image/2020/02/ec38193f470bfbbf69f39ecdd3eb5a9ffcc5e87a.jpg?itok=XJhzX8FU" alt="Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (R) and Uganda's First Lady Janet Museveni (2nd R) pose for photo with Israeli Prime Minister…" width="578" height="385" /></a><figcaption>Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (R) and Uganda&#8217;s First Lady Janet Museveni (2nd R) pose for photo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and his wife Sara Netanyahu (2nd L), at the State House in Entebbe, Uganda on February 3, 2020.</figcaption></figure>



U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the Burhan-Netanyahu talks in Uganda, and &#8220;thanked the Sudanese leader for his leadership in normalizing ties with Israel,&#8221; according to a statement from State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.



In a phone call a day earlier, Pompeo had invited Burhan to visit the U.S. Ortagus said Burhan&#8217;s visit to Washington would take place later in the year, without providing details.



The State Department said Pompeo and Burhan &#8220;underscored their shared desire to improve Sudan&#8217;s active participation in the region and international communities and their commitment to work towards a stronger, healthier U.S.-Sudan bilateral relationship.&#8221;



On social media, critics in Sudan denounced the meeting, accusing Burhan of trying to get on the Trump administration&#8217;s good side through Israel. Others applauded the meeting, arguing it was good for Sudan&#8217;s future.



&#8220;Our interest is above everything and Sudan first,&#8221;&nbsp;tweeted Mubarak Ardol, former spokesman of a rebel faction of Sudan People&#8217;s Liberation Movement-North that was part of the pro-democracy movement that led to al-Bashir&#8217;s ouster.



Prominent activist Amjed Farid said Burhan had no mandate from the people of Sudan to offer Netanyahu a &#8220;promise of that&#8220; which is not his to give.



Information Minister Faisal Mohamed Saleh, who also serves as the government spokesman, said the Cabinet learned of the meeting through the media and was not consulted beforehand. &#8220;We will wait for clarifications after&#8221;&nbsp;Burhan returns home from Uganda, Saleh said.



A senior Sudanese military official said the meeting was orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates and aimed at helping remove Sudan&#8217;s terror listing, which dates back to the 1990s, when Sudan briefly hosted Osama bin Laden and other wanted militants.



The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said Burhan agreed to meet Netanyahu because officials thought it would help &#8220;accelerate&#8221; the process of being removed from the terror list. He said only a &#8220;small circle&#8221; of top officials in Sudan, as well as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, knew about the meeting.



Sudan hosted the Arab League summit after the 1967 war that became famous for establishing the &#8220;three no&#8217;s&#8221;: No to peace with Israel, no to recognition of Israel and no to negotiations with Israel.



That consensus broke down when Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and has further eroded in recent years as Israel has improved ties with Gulf Arab nations that share its concerns about Iran. Only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, have made peace with Israel.

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Meeting of Sudanese Leader, Netanyahu Stirs Debate in Sudan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he withdrew his request for immunity from prosecution on corruption charges, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/netanyahu-drops-immunity-request-corruption-charges">reports</a>. 



In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Netanyahu said he had informed the speaker of the Knesset of his decision, and that he did not want to take part in what he called this &#8220;dirty game.&#8221;



The Israeli parliament was due to meet Tuesday to discuss forming a committee to debate Netanyahu&#8217;s request for immunity. &nbsp;



With his decision, the path is now clear for legal proceedings against Netanyahu to move forward.&nbsp; Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.



He was charged in November, in three separate cases, with bribery, fraud and breach of trust.



In one case, he is accused of accepting valuable gifts from friends and acquaintances of cigars, champagne and jewelry. In the most serious case, Netanyahu allegedly promoted regulations that benefited the Israeli telecom giant Bezeq in exchange for favorable press coverage.



The developments come as Netanyahu seeks re-election in March.



His chief opponent, Benny Gantz, said Tuesday that voters have the choice between a prime minister who will work for them, or one who will work for himself.

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Netanyahu Drops Immunity Request on Corruption Charges

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Benny Gantz, his challenger in early March elections, are set to have separate meetings Monday at the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to share details of his long-awaited plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/usa/netanyahu-gantz-set-white-house-talks-trump-shares-peace-plan">reports</a>. 



A public unveiling of the plan is expected Tuesday during a joint news conference with Trump and Netanyahu.



&#8220;During the past three years I held countless talks with President Trump &#8211; a huge friend of Israel &#8211; and with his team about these crucial interests, about our security, about our justice,&#8221; Netanyahu said Sunday. &nbsp;&#8220;Tomorrow I am going to meet President Trump and on Tuesday, together with him, we will make history.&#8221;



Gantz said he is looking forward to what he called a &#8220;very important visit.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced/s3/2019-10/reu_gantz.jpg?itok=UhpZCRc8"><img src="https://media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced_737px_wide/s3/2019-10/reu_gantz.jpg?itok=WHmNh0p_" alt="Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, speaks at the President's residence, in Jerusalem, Oct. 23, 2019." /></a><figcaption>Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, speaks at the President&#8217;s residence, in Jerusalem, Oct. 23, 2019.</figcaption></figure>



&#8220;The plan of the deal is to deal with Israel&#8217;s security, the regional strategies &#8212; stabilization hopefully down the road,&#8221; he said.



But with Palestinians rejecting the Trump administration approach and what they see as a pro-Israel bias, the chances of success appear dim.



The Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday that no Palestinian would accept the plan.



Trump has promoted it as the &#8220;deal of the century&#8221; while details remained secret amid three years of work.



He angered the Palestinian side with several moves during his time in office, including going against decades of U.S. policy by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel&#8217;s capital as moving the U.S. embassy there.



The White House meetings come as Trump faces an impeachment trial, the Israeli parliament considers Netanyahu&#8217;s request for immunity from corruption charges, and both Israeli figures prepare for a March 2 election.

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Netanyahu, Gantz Set for White House Talks as Trump Shares Peace Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump says it&#8217;s time to release his long-awaited Middle East peace plan, and has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz to the White House next week to discuss it, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/netanyahu-heads-washington-talks-trump-peace-plan">reports</a>. 



Reports in Israel say it will give Israel sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, along the border with Jordan, as well as over Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Palestinians say any plan that does not give them a state in all of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem is a non-starter.



President Trump says he will most likely release his long-awaited peace plan even before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and possibly Netanyahu&#8217;s election rival, Benny Gantz, arrive in Washington next Tuesday. Trump said it is a great plan, and one that will really work.



Israeli news reports say it will include a unilateral annexation of the Jordan Valley, about a fifth of the West Bank that runs along the border between the West Bank and Jordan. Israel has long said that the area is important for Israel’s security. About 13,000 Jewish settlers as well as 4,000 Palestinians live there. The reports said the plan would also give Israel sovereignty over all Jewish settlements in the West Bank, where more than 400,000 Israelis live. If that happens, it would be a major change in U.S. policy and anger the Palestinians.



Prime Minister Netanyahu said he accepted President Trump’s invitation with pleasure.



&#8220;We have had no better friend than President Trump. That friendship is expressed in the fact that we are in the American embassy in Jerusalem,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;That Jerusalem was recognized by President Trump as Israel’s capital, that President Trump has recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and now with this invitation the president is seeking to give Israel peace and security, the peace and security it deserves.&#8221;



Palestinians see the reported plan as dangerous. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, warned the U.S. from crossing any more red lines. He said the Palestinians will not accept any plan that does not give them sovereignty over the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.



Abbas met Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was in Israel for the commemoration of the World Holocaust Forum, and asked for Putin&#8217;s support in the future.



Abbas said there are some regional issues that need to be discussed with President Putin, such as Israel&#8217;s announcement to annex Palestinian land. Abbas also said there is the need to talk about this &#8220;deal of the century&#8221; which Mr. Trump&nbsp; said will be published (ready) soon. Abbas also said, &#8220;We also to talk about this issue. Also we have the issue of the Palestinian presidential and parliament elections that we will inform the president about.&#8221;



Abbas said that the Palestinians want to discuss Israel’s announcement to annex Palestinian land as well as other regional issues.



Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, also warned that if Israel annexes the Jordan Valley, it would end the chances for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.



The Washington visit comes as Netanyahu and Gantz are due to face off in Israel’s third election within a year.

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Netanyahu Heads to Washington for Talks on Trump Peace Plan

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would unveil his Middle East peace plan in the coming days, ahead of a White House visit early next week by leading Israeli politicians. The plan has been delayed for over two years.



The proposal aimed at bringing peace to decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is said to be dozens of pages long and to address contentious long-standing issues, such as the status of the city of Jerusalem.



However, few details on its political arrangements have been revealed, though the economic proposals have already been made public. The plan has been designed in large part by Trump&#8217;s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner.



&#8220;It&#8217;s a great plan,&#8221; Trump told reporters on Thursday on route to a political event in Florida. &#8220;It&#8217;s a plan that really would work,&#8221; he said, adding that both Israel and Palestinians want peace.



<h4>PM Netanyahu&#8217;s ally Trump</h4>



The plan will be revealed ahead of a Tuesday visit to the White House by Israel&#8217;s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main political rival Benny Gantz. US Vice President Mike Pence invited the rival politicians to meet with Trump during his visit to Israel.



The two Israeli politicians are currently immersed in a head-to-head campaign for March&#8217;s general election — a historic third vote in the space of a year following the failure of multiple collation negotiations.



The right-wing Netanyahu, who is mired in legal troubles, has found a close political ally in Trump. Netanyahu said he has accepted the offer to visit Washington, while it was unclear whether Gantz had accepted the invitation.



Should both Israeli politicians travel to the US, it is not yet known&nbsp;whether the US president intends to meet both leaders together or individually.



<h4>Palestinians: &#8216;Don&#8217;t cross red lines&#8217;</h4>



The peace plan, aimed at ending conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, is expected to be in line with the administration&#8217;s previous Middle East policy decisions that have reversed long-held US positions in favor of Israel. These include failing to endorse a two-state solution, describing Israeli settlements as no longer contrary to international law and moving the US Embassy to the disputed city of Jerusalem.



The White House reportedly did not invite Palestinian representatives to Tuesday&#8217;s meeting, though Trump said that his administration had talked to the Palestinians, who had rejected the plan.



&#8220;We&#8217;ve spoken to them briefly. But we will speak to them in a period of time,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And they have a lot of incentive to do it. I&#8217;m sure they maybe will react negatively at first, but it&#8217;s actually very positive to them.&#8221;



A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned: &#8220;Israel and the U.S. administration not to cross any red lines.&#8221; Such red lines could include the future of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which Palestinians want in its entirety as part of a future state, and Jerusalem, the eastern part of which Palestinians want as a future capital.



The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.

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Trump announces overdue release of Middle East peace plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling on the world to take “concrete actions” against the International Criminal Court ahead of a possible war-crimes case against Israel, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/netanyahu-tries-rally-global-opposition-icc-case">reports</a>. 



The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said last month that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. She has asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding with the case.



Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has said the court has no jurisdiction and accused Bensouda of being driven by anti-Semitism.



In an interview with the Christian network TBN to be aired later Tuesday, Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump for criticizing the ICC and called on others to follow suit.



“I think that everybody should rise up against this,” he said, according to excerpts released by his office. “I urge all your viewers to do the same and to ask for concrete actions, sanctions against the international court, its officials, its prosecutors, everyone.”



“They’re basically in a full frontal attack on the democracies, both on the democracies’ right to defend themselves, and on Israel’s right, the Jewish people’s right, to live in their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel,” he said.



There was no immediate reaction from Bensouda. But in a recent interview, she told the Israeli news site Times of Israel that accusing her of anti-Semitism was “particularly regrettable” and “without merit.”



The TBN interview came ahead of a gathering in Jerusalem on Thursday where dozens of world leaders are to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazis’ Auschwitz death camp and to speak out against anti-Semitism.



Netanyahu is expected to use the gathering to try to rally international opposition to the ICC case against Israel.

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Netanyahu Tries to Rally Global Opposition to ICC Case

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said he will ask parliament to grant him immunity from corruption charges, a step that is expected to delay his trial for months.



The step most likely puts the trial on hold until after elections in March, when he hopes to win a majority coalition that will shield him from prosecution.



The announcement essentially turns the upcoming election campaign into a referendum on whether Netanyahu should be granted immunity and remain in office or step down to stand trial.



A recent poll indicated that a majority of Israelis oppose giving him immunity.



Netanyahu was indicted in November on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust after failing to assemble a governing majority following back-to-back-elections last year. He now gets a third shot at holding onto his office in March.



In a nationally televised address, Netanyahu repeated his assertion that he is the victim of an unfair conspiracy and that he would seek to invoke the law that would protect him from prosecution while he remains in office.



&#8220;In order to continue to lead Israel to great achievements, I intend to approach the speaker of the Knesset in accordance with chapter 4C of the law, in order to fulfill my right, my duty and my mission to continue to serve you for the future of Israel,&#8221; he said.



The request most likely means that parliament will address the matter after March elections.



The current caretaker government is not empowered to make a decision on granting Netanyahu immunity.



In order to debate the matter, parliament would have to appoint a special committee that needs to study the request. But it remains unclear whether it will be allowed to do so.

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Israel Prime Minister seeks immunity, buying time until after vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared victory in his primary election battle for leadership of the Likud party.



`&#8221;A huge win,&#8221; Netanyahu tweeted, just over an hour after polls closed. Official results are expected later on Friday.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">ניצחון ענק! תודה לחברות וחברי הליכוד על האמון, התמיכה והאהבה. בעזרת השם ובעזרתכם, אני אוביל את הליכוד לניצחון גדול בבחירות הקרובות ונמשיך להוביל את מדינת ישראל להישגים חסרי תקדים.&mdash; Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1210321174070202377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div><figcaption>A huge win! Thank you to friends and Likud members for their trust, support and love. With God and with your help, I will lead the Likud to a big victory in the upcoming elections and continue to lead the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements.</figcaption></figure>



Polling stations closed at 11 pm local time on Thursday. Just under fifty percent of 116,000 eligible voters cast ballots, with many apparently deterred by the weather.&nbsp;



Israeli media report that exit polls showed a 71 percent majority in support of Netanyahu.&nbsp;



Israeli media predicted a Netanyahu landslide. Channel 12, a major television station, said initial results showed a &#8220;significant gap&#8220; between the candidates.



His main challenger, Gideon Saar had hoped to unseat Netanyahu claiming that he would be in a better position to form a government in national elections in March.



Netanyahu had failed to do so twice already. Yet he remains popular among Likud members despite by corruption charges against him.



A victory would mean that Netanyahu would lead Likud in the March election. Yet his political future will remain in doubt. The Supreme Court is set next week to begin considering the question of whether an indicted member of parliament can be tasked with forming a new government. It&#8217;s not clear when a ruling would be handed down.

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Netanyahu declares victory in primary election

Israel’s governing Likud party was holding primaries Thursday, in the first serious internal challenge to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his more than a decade in power, VOA news <a href="https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/israeli-lawmaker-aims-oust-netanyahu-likud-primary">reports</a>. 



Veteran politician Gideon Saar hopes to unseat Netanyahu, arguing that he would be better placed to form a government in national elections in March after Netanyahu failed to do so in two repeat elections this year.



Despite the shadow of corruption indictments hanging over him, Netanyahu remains popular among Likud members and the fiercely loyal party, which has had only four leaders since its inception in the 1970s, has stood firmly behind the long-serving leader. He is expected to defeat Saar handily and a win could strengthen his hand going into the next national vote.



“For years I have been working for you for the sake of our beloved country. Now I am asking for your support,” Netanyahu wrote on Facebook. “A big victory for me in the primaries will ensure a huge victory in the Knesset elections.”



Bump in support



Saar, who has garnered support from a handful of Likud backbenchers, had seen a bump in support in the lead-up to the vote, and he could benefit from stormy weather that may keep turnout low. If he wins, he would become Likud’s candidate for prime minister in the March polls.



“We are imbued with the spirit of victory,” lawmaker Yoav Kisch, Saar’s campaign manager, told Israeli Army Radio. “This candidacy is good for the party and I believe can also bring the change and the hope for a revolution in the Likud.”



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/sourced_737px_wide/s3/ap-images/2019/12/6aef1bc24a69f3c7f88ffb4bbd52eaa1.jpg?itok=vOOVEXkY" alt="Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (Ronen…" /><figcaption>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Dec. 8, 2019.</figcaption></figure>



Netanyahu has portrayed Saar as inexperienced, while depicting himself as a security buff and master of international diplomacy. In what was seen as an embarrassment at a critical moment a day before the primary, Netanyahu was rushed off stage after a rocket was fired from Gaza, setting off an air raid siren, at a campaign rally in the southern city of Ashkelon Wednesday. A similar incident happened in September when Netanyahu was in the nearby city of Ashdod campaigning for the second general Israeli election of the year.&nbsp;



Polls close at 11 p.m. and results are expected early Friday.



Charges against Netanyahu



Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three corruption cases in which he is accused of trading legislative or regulatory favors in exchange for lavish gifts or favorable media coverage. He denies wrongdoing and has waged an angry campaign against the media and law enforcement officials he said are bent on ousting him from office. His supporters have tried to paint Saar as part of the same conspiracy.



The indictments against Netanyahu came amid months of political deadlock in Israel, which after two inconclusive elections is headed toward a third unprecedented national vote in less than a year.



Netanyahu’s main rival, former military chief Benny Gantz was also unable to form a government and while the two professed eagerness to form a unity government, they differed on its composition and who would lead it, deepening the stalemate.



Recent polls show that with Saar as leader, Likud would make a more powerful bloc with its natural ultra-Orthodox and nationalist allies. Saar would also be in an easier position to create a national unity government with the centrist Blue and White party if, as expected, the upcoming March election produces a deadlock like the previous two rounds have.

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Israeli Lawmaker Aims to Oust Netanyahu in Likud Primary

The rocket was intercepted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/israel-makes-operational-medium-range-missile-interceptor/a-38257208">by Israel&#8217;s Iron Dome air defense system,</a>&nbsp;said the Israel Defense Forces. A video shows the prime minister being ushered from the stage together with his wife, Sara, and aides after warning sirens interrupted his rally.



Israeli newspaper&nbsp;Haaretz&nbsp;reported the group was taken to a shelter after being evacuated, with the prime minister returning later&nbsp;to finish off his speech.



The vote to decide the Likud party leader in the next election will begin on Thursday and Netanyahu is facing a tense campaign for the leadership. Netanyahu is looking to shore up his majority to lead the party after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/israel-barrels-towards-third-election-in-12-months/a-51620988">two elections in 2019 saw the party struggle to secure a coalition government deal.</a>



Following the rocket attack, the Israel Defense Force tweeted that it had &#8220;struck a number of Hamas terror targets in Gaza.&#8221;It did not say what targets had been struck.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">On Hanukkah, the festival of miracles, Israel&#39;s modern miracle—the Iron Dome—just intercepted a rocket mid-air after it was fired from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaza</a> at Israeli civilians. <a href="https://t.co/IuuAfIIGv1">pic.twitter.com/IuuAfIIGv1</a>&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1209920313477271552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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In his speech on Wednesday, he took a hardline stance on the Gaza issue, making reference to the assassination of Baha Abu al-Ata&nbsp;from militant group Islamic Jihad, saying&nbsp;&#8220;he who fired last time isn&#8217;t with us anymore,&#8221; before adding&nbsp;&#8220;and he who fired now, better start packing his belongings,&#8221; reported&nbsp;Haaretz.



Despite this, Netanyahu&#8217;s opponents say he is too soft on tackling threats from Gaza.



No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for Wednesday&#8217;s attack, but rockets are routinely launched from the Gaza Strip with the Iron Dome short-range air defense system intercepting&nbsp;almost every one of them.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/international-court-prepares-to-investigate-war-crimes-in-palestinian-territories/a-51756029">Palestinians have long viewed Israelis as occupying their land,</a>&nbsp;with the Israeli government tightly controlling medicine, food, electricity and other supplies entering the area.