Around 100 Israeli protesters rallied outside the Supreme Court on Thursday against petitions to disqualify Benjamin Netanyahu from serving as prime minister while facing criminal charges.
On Sunday the court is scheduled to hear petitions from several nonprofit advocacy groups against a coalition government deal reached by Netanyahu and his main political opponent former army chief Benny Gantz.
The two reached a power-sharing agreement earlier this month after more than a year of political stalemate and three deadlocked national elections.
Under the deal, Netanyahu and Gantz agreed to share the premiership, with Netanyahu serving as prime minister the first 18 months and Gantz serving the next 18 months.
It also includes a clause to advance plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, including Israeli settlements, starting July 1, the Associated Press repored.
For their part, the protesters said they were demonstrating against what they called court intervention in the democratic process.
They held banners that read “The Supreme Court is ruining democracy” and chanted “the people are the sovereign.”
Netanyahu was charged earlier this year with bribery, fraud and breach of trust. However, he has denied the charges and claimed that the indictments are part of a political witch hunt. His trial is scheduled to begin next month.
If the court rules in favor of the petitioners, the Netanyahu-Gantz deal could unravel, plunging the country into a fourth election in just over a year.
