The Globe and Mail - 25.11.2019

MONDAY,NOVEMBER25,2019 | THE GLOBE AND MAIL O NEWS | A

Prime Minister Benjamin Neta-
nyahu looked to project business
as usual Sunday as he returned to
work after his indictment on cor-
ruption charges, but a wall of si-
lence from his usually loyal cabi-
net ministers could mean tough
times for the beleaguered Israeli
leader.
Mr. Netanyahu is determined
to fight the charges from the
prime minister’s office in what
promises to be a lengthy court
battle. But long before the pro-
ceedings begin, it could be his
own Likud party that decides his
political future.
A show of support from his
cabinet would give Mr. Netanya-
hu a boost as he tries to rally the
party and public behind him. Mr.
Netanyahu’s efforts so far, how-
ever, appear to be falling short.
One top Likud official, Gideon
Saar, has already announced his
intention to challenge Mr. Neta-
nyahu in party primaries.
“There isn’t a single person
who thinks that after a third or
fourth or fifth or sixth election,
Netanyahu will succeed in form-
ing a government,” Mr. Saar told
Channel 12 TV on Saturday.
The open call is a risky mano-
euvre in a party that fiercely val-
ues loyalty and has had only four
leaders in its 70-plus-year history.
Mr. Netanyahu’s lackeys at-
tacked Mr. Saar, with the party
saying he has “shown zero loyal-
ty and maximum subversive-
ness.”
But perhaps influenced by
polls showing a majority of Israe-
lis think Mr. Netanyahu should
step down, the party’s most se-
nior ministers have yet to com-
ment.
With just 18 days to go to either
form a new government or trig-
ger new elections, pressure will

surely be mounting on officials to

show their hand.

Mr. Netanyahu made no men-

tion of his indictment during

Sunday’s cabinet meeting.

The Attorney-General’s deci-

sion to indict Mr. Netanyahu on

fraud, breach of trust and bribery

charges Thursday shook up Is-

rael’s political system, which is in

paralysis after two inconclusive

elections this year. It is the first

time a sitting prime minister has

been charged with a crime.

With neither Mr. Netanyahu

nor his main rival, former mili-

tary chief and current Blue And

White alliance leader Benny

Gantz, able to secure a parlia-

mentary majority, the country

seems to be barrelling toward its

third election in under 12

months.

Most observers believe a unity

government between the two,

which control a majority of seats

in parliament, is the best way out

of the crisis. But the main obsta-

cle to that has been Mr. Netanya-

hu himself. Mr. Gantz and his

partners have ruled out a power-

sharing rotation with an indicted

prime minister and urged Likud

to choose a different leader.

Unlike mayors or regular min-

isters, the prime minister is not

explicitly required by Israeli law

to resign if indicted and Mr. Neta-

nyahu is steadfastly vowing to re-

main in office.

Mr. Netanyahu, the longest

serving leader in Israeli history, is

desperate to remain in office as

he faces indictment since it af-

fords him a preferable legal de-

fence.

Likud and Blue and White

don’t appear to have significant

ideological gaps and a leader oth-

er than Mr. Netanyahu would

seemingly be much more likely

to form an agreement.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Netanyahu’scabinet

colleaguesquiet

afterindictment

ARONHELLERJERUSALEM

BASRA,IRAQSecurity forces opened fire on

protesters in Baghdad and several cities in

southern Iraq on Sunday, killing at least nine

people and wounding dozens of others, police

and medical sources said, the latest violence in

weeks of unrest.

Anti-government protests erupted in early

October and have swollen into the largest

demonstrations since the fall of Saddam

Hussein in 2003. A Reuters tally of the dead as

given by security and medical sources shows

at least 339 people have been killed.

Iraq’s state news agency quoted the Health

Minister on Sunday as saying 111 people had

been killed, including protesters and members

from security forces, without breaking down

the tally or elaborating over what period. It

was the first official figure issued bya govern-

ment official since Oct. 25.

A government report last month had said

there were 157 deaths during the first week of

October. Protests paused briefly before resum-

ing on Oct. 25.

Protesters are demanding the overthrow of

a political class seen as corrupt and serving

foreign powers while many Iraqis languish in

poverty without jobs, health care or education.

In Nassiriya, security forces used live am-

munition and tear gas canisters to disperse

protesters who had gathered overnight on

three bridges. Police and health officials said

three people were killed, and hospital sources

said another person died later from bullets

wounds to his head.REUTERS

SECURITYFORCESKILLATLEASTNINE,WOUNDDOZENSINIRAQPROTESTS

CAIROSecurity forces on Sunday raided the

offices of one of Egypt’s last remaining inde-

pendent media outlets, briefly detaining its

top editor and two other journalists and later

releasing them, the outlet and officials said.

The raid is the latest in a wideninggovern-

ment crackdown on dissent and media. The

outlet, Mada Masr, has produced investiga-

tive pieces looking into some of Egypt’s

government institutions, including the in-

telligence agencies, military and presidency.

Such stories are not produced by other local

media in the country, where nearly all news-

papers are closely aligned with thegovern-

ment.

A group of plain-clothes security agents

stormed the outlet’s offices Sunday after-

noon and locked staff inside for hours, Mada

reported on Twitter. The agents searched

through staffers’ laptops and mobile phones

and questioned the top editor, it said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

INDEPENDENTEGYPTIANMEDIAOUTLETSAYSPOLICERAIDEDITSHEADQUARTERS

Iraqidemonstratorstrytopulldownconcretewallsduringanti-governmentprotestsinBaghdadon

Sunday.TheprotestseruptedinearlyOctober.THAIERAL-SUDANI/REUTERS