Benjamin Netanyahu is facing criminal indictments. He also just made himself Israel's justice minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has way too much on his plate.
The fifth-term leader officially fired both his justice and education ministers on Tuesday, meaning he'll take over the spots in an acting capacity. And if that overloaded work schedule wasn't enough, there's also a major conflict of interest at play seeing as Netanyahu is facing indictments in three criminal cases.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Education Minister Naftali Bennett left Netanyahu's party last December to form their own party, and it seems Netanyahu thought the two would use their cabinet positions to "bolster their campaigns ahead of September's polls," the Times of Israel reports. Those positions now default to Netanyahu, who also heads the health and defense ministries right now.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The move is especially concerning seeing as Israeli Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit has said he'll indict Netanyahu for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust in three criminal cases. Criticism quickly arose over Netanyahu holding the justice post, and while his office said it would appoint an interim minister by Tuesday, that has since been postponed until net week, JewishPress.com says.
Netanyahu narrowly won his fifth term in April but failed to form a coalition government by a May 29 deadline, meaning voters will head to the polls yet again in September.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 23, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - qualifications, tax cuts, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in Turkmenistan
The Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's wars: is an end in sight – or is this just the beginning?
Today's Big Question Lack of wider strategic vision points to 'sustained low-intensity war' on multiple fronts
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
How the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war set the stage for 2024
Both sides have been planning for the possibility of another conflict since the devastating month-long war 18 years ago
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Middle East crisis: is there really a diplomatic path forward?
Today's Big Question Recent escalation between Israel and Hezbollah might have dented US influence in the conflict
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The African asylum seekers fighting for Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar 'Quid pro quo' recruitment offer condemned as unethical as Israel seeks to address shortage of soldiers
By The Week Staff Published
-
Mossad's history with explosive technology
The Explainer Infamous Israeli spy agency has not claimed responsibility for Hezbollah's exploding pagers but has 'decades-long' list of remote assassinations
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?
Talking Points Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
By The Week UK Published
-
Hamas and Hezbollah strikes: what does it mean for Israel?
Today's Big Question Iran vows revenge for death of Hamas political leader in Tehran, hours after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah member in Beirut
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published