Israeli NGO seeks Netanyahu’s removal, cites rule of law breach
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An NGO petitions the Israeli Supreme Court to declare Netanyahu unfit for office, citing conflict-of-interest breaches and legal misconduct.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to speak to the media, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)
An Israeli advocacy group has petitioned the Supreme Court to declare Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unfit for office, accusing him of breaching conflict-of-interest rules and eroding the rule of law, according to local media reports on Wednesday, as cited by Anadolu Agency.
The petition, filed by the NGO "Democratic Fortress", accuses Netanyahu of violating his conflict-of-interest agreement and argues he should be declared "incapacitated" under the "defensive democracy" principle, according to a report by Maariv newspaper.
Critics accuse Netanyahu of abusing his executive authority to advance his political agenda, citing his attempts to oust former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, along with his push for legislation that would curb the Supreme Court's powers.
“This is an extraordinary petition, as it presents multiple legal grounds for declaring Netanyahu unfit to serve as prime minister,” Israeli newspaper Maariv said.
Netanyahu's office has not yet responded to the petition, and it is uncertain whether the court will take up the case, especially since "Israel's" Supreme Court has previously dismissed similar attempts to remove the prime minister from office.
The petition against Netanyahu follows ongoing corruption charges against him, including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which were filed by former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in November 2019. The trial commenced in 2020; however, the prime minister has repeatedly denied the accusations, dismissing them as a politically driven effort to remove him from power.
Netanyahu runs away from corruption trials
As "Israel's" longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu has led a government since late 2022 that has advanced controversial judicial overhaul proposals, which opponents argue are intended to undermine the independence and authority of the court system.
Netanyahu has repeatedly denied all allegations of misconduct in the ongoing trial, which has faced multiple postponements since its initiation in May 2020.
The initial case involves allegations that Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, received over $260,000 in high-end items, including cigars, jewelry, and champagne, from wealthy businessmen, with prosecutors claiming these gifts were given in return for political favors. The remaining cases involve accusations that Netanyahu engaged in negotiations to secure more positive media coverage from two prominent Israeli news organizations.
Netanyahu has sought numerous delays in the trial proceedings, with his most recent requests for postponement being justified by citing military conflicts, first pointing to the war in Gaza that began in April 2023, then referencing hostilities in Lebanon, and most recently attributing the need for delay to the escalation with Iran earlier this month.
