Israel’s ‘King Bibi’ stays on top, but storm clouds ahead

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long reign atop Israeli politics has seen him outlast opponents with deft manoeuvring and right-wing leadership, but his latest gamble has many wondering whether it will be among his last.

Israel is headed for snap elections on April 9, and while polls show Netanyahu is likely to again prevail, a series of corruption investigations have led to speculation over whether he will later be forced to step down. He will not be legally required to resign if indicted, but political pressure will surely be intense and any future coalition partners will have to decide whether to stick with him.

The attorney general’s decision on indictments is expected in the coming months. A range of analysts believe he pushed for elections seven months early at least partly to combat potential charges with a fresh mandate from voters. It would not be wise to bet on his downfall yet. Should he win in April, he will be on track to surpass founding father David Ben-Gurion’s record of more than 13 years in office, and Netanyahu is no doubt aware of that weighty milestone. "He has no plan in resigning and no plan in stepping down, and he believes he can beat the charges against him," said Anshel Pfeffer, a journalist at Israeli newspaper Haaretz and author of a recently-published Netanyahu biography. The burly 69-year-old with his familiar grey comb-over has entrenched himself at the top so firmly he has been labelled "King Bibi", his nickname dating to childhood. Few doubt his political effectiveness, and supporters say the proof is seen in his opponents struggling to mount a major challenge to his leadership.