Op-Ed: Charges Against Netanyahu Should Be Dropped

To put it mildly, this is a net negative for both the political and judicial branched of the government.

 More directly, whatever the verdict, the result will be politically tumultuous, and half the country will be disgusted by Israel’s judicial branch.

 Yet another factor to consider is the elections themselves. Although surprises are inevitable, the broad facts of the criminal charges against Netanyahu were well known before the (three!) elections in the past year. While mob justice is hardly desirable, it is insulting to the electorate not to take the public’s vote into account. 

 Netanyahu’s possible criminal actions did not result in the public’s broad repulsion the way a crime billed as corruption normally would. It did not result in the premier’s own party replacing him as their leader. It did not even hinder, despite election promises, his major political rivals from joining him in a coalition. It is in the public interest that a judge not be put in a position to effectively replace the electorate’s judgment with their own.

 The (only) bright spot about a preemptive pardon is that in a sense both sides win and lose. 

 Those who are convinced that Netanyahu is a blight on Israel and deserves to be thrown into jail will be no doubt sickened by the ‘ruthless’ leader’s escaping of justice,  and will decry the result, but will also be consoled by the fact that he was not actually found innocent. Conversely, those who favour Netanyahu”s version of events will be disappointed in the lack of clear vindication, but will be overjoyed at the lifting of this cloud over the rest of his term.