JERUSALEM —- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally indicted in court on Tuesday on corruption charges hours after he withdrew his request for parliamentary immunity from prosecution.
Netanyahu, who was visiting Washington ahead of the launch of President Donald Trump’s long-anticipated peace plan, said he “decided not to let this dirty game continue,” in a statement issued on his official Facebook page.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, was set to convene to discuss the formation of a committee to debate the prime minister’s immunity request. It’s still expected to meet even after the withdrawal.
The Knesset was widely expected to reject Netanyahu’s immunity request, which would have dealt a massive blow to the prime minister ahead of the March 2 parliamentary elections — the third in less than a year. Netanyahu’s Likud party was planning to boycott Tuesday’s Knesset session.
www.nbcnews.com/news/world/netanyahu-pulls-request-immunity-ahead-trump-plan-unveiling-n1124466