Coalition Moves to Shield Netanyahu and Cripple Bennett in Twin Legal Power Plays
In what critics are calling an audacious two-pronged assault on Israel’s democratic foundations, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation is expected to approve a pair of explosive bills today, one aimed at freezing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-running corruption trial, and the other seemingly designed to block his chief rival, Naftali Bennett, from even running in the next election.
Both measures have the blessing of key Netanyahu loyalists inside the government, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Otzma Yehudit firebrand Limor Son Har-Melech, signaling the coalition’s full intent to bulldoze them through the Knesset.
Bill One: “The Judicial Pause” , Halting Netanyahu’s Trial
The first proposal, championed by MK Limor Son Har-Melech, would grant the Knesset House Committee the extraordinary power to suspend any ongoing criminal proceedings against a sitting prime minister or cabinet minister , if deemed “necessary for the functioning of the state.”
In practice, this would allow Netanyahu’s allies to press the pause button on his corruption trial indefinitely, effectively placing him above the law for as long as he remains in power. The proposed legislation, first reported by Walla News, has been strongly backed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a longtime architect of the coalition’s sweeping judicial overhaul.
Critics warn that this measure would shatter the balance between the executive and judicial branches, transforming Israel’s democracy into what one analyst called “a self-governing immunity bubble.” The move echoes similar tactics used in illiberal regimes where leaders legislate their own legal reprieve under the guise of “national stability.”
A bill that would postpone PM Netanyahu's trial. Bill granting Knesset House Committee power to postpone trials against a Prime Minister or government ministers is set to be approved by Ministerial Committee on Legislation. https://t.co/3OpBLM2bbd
— Real Politik (@RealPolitik_NYC) October 26, 2025
Bill Two: “The Bennett Clause” , A Political Trap for the Opposition
Running parallel to the immunity bill is a second, highly targeted measure that seems custom-built to strangle Naftali Bennett’s political comeback in its infancy.
Proposed by Likud MK Avichai Boaron, the bill would require any newly formed political party led by a figure whose previous party dissolved within the past seven years to inherit that party’s financial debts.
The move, while framed as “fiscal accountability,” would in effect tie a financial millstone around Bennett’s neck, since his previous Yamina party folded with millions in unpaid campaign obligations.
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation is expected to approve a bill today, October 26, that would oblige Naftali Bennett to pay off the past debts of his parties.
— ffhjkkn (@_ghjjf) October 26, 2025
This was reported by Kan. The proposal was introduced by MK Avichai Boharon of the Likud Party after Bennett…
Bennett’s newly launched political vehicle, Bennett 2026, has been gaining momentum in polls as the most viable center-right alternative to Netanyahu’s long-reigning Likud.
In a blistering social media response, Bennett blasted the initiative as “a desperate and cowardly maneuver by a regime that fears the ballot box.”
“Only a failed government obsessed with personal survival would stoop to such undemocratic tactics,” Bennett wrote. “This law is unconstitutional and will be struck down immediately.”
Boaron, for his part, fired back with equal venom:
“First, pay your debts to the Israeli public before trying to lead it again,” he said. “You owe NIS 17 million to suppliers and taxpayers. Why should anyone trust you to run a country when you can’t even balance a campaign ledger?”
Pay Before You Play: Bill to Stop Bennett’s Dodging Millions in Campaign Debts
— The Jewish Edition (@Jewdition) October 26, 2025
MK Boaron posted a scathing note: "Naftali, good morning. First, cover your financial debts to the public, then start a new campaign.
https://t.co/3uR7qT8oST pic.twitter.com/8MK587kbdf
Critics Warn: “A Government at War with Democracy”
The twin proposals have reignited Israel’s deep constitutional crisis, drawing condemnation from opposition leaders, legal experts, and civil rights advocates who accuse the coalition of weaponizing the legislative process for personal and political gain.
As the committee prepares to convene, Israel’s political future once again teeters between the rule of law and the rule of loyalty.
