Netanyahu on the Way to a Plea Deal

The President Launches a Public Campaign for a Deal — and Netanyahu Stays Silent

My Take: Likud’s Silence Points to Coordination with Herzog — Possibly Ahead of a Security Escalation or Major Legal Move

As someone who has known the political system for many years and knows most of the key players, I was stunned to see President Isaac Herzog launch a campaign for a plea bargain on behalf of Prime Minister Netanyahu.

When the President gives a series of interviews back-to-back, and in each one repeats the same message — a plea deal now for Benjamin Netanyahu — it’s not a slip-up. It’s not an offhand remark. It’s a coordinated, deliberate campaign.

Even more surprising is that Netanyahu and his circle, including every MK in the Likud faction, are exercising their right to remain silent. No one responds or comments — they’re simply ignoring the President’s very clear statement.

My conclusion — and I want to be clear that this is just my own assessment — is that the whole move was coordinated between them, start to finish.

Why such a dramatic move — and why now, of all times? Let me be clear: I have no inside information, no leaks. What follows is purely my own judgment, informed by many years of experience within the political system.

Netanyahu feels the noose tightening around his neck. I’ve seen leaks in the media about Yonatan Urich’s extended detention and the fact that investigators managed to unlock Urich’s phone and recover all messages, even those he deleted and apparently really didn’t want anyone to see.

Add to that everything Eli Feldstein told the police, and the confrontation he had with Yonatan Urich in a meeting that the investigators clearly arranged — and it’s pretty obvious: they’re building a solid case against one of Netanyahu’s closest people.

Yonatan Urich isn’t exactly known for his resilience. Netanyahu may be scrambling to lock in a plea deal before Urich flips and agrees to become a state witness.

It’s also possible Netanyahu knows things we don’t — maybe new evidence has recently landed in the hands of the investigators at Lahav 433.

If I had to guess, Netanyahu’s waiting to see how the US-Iran negotiations play out — and hoping they collapse. If that happens, Israel, possibly alongside the US, could launch a joint strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. That kind of operation could give Netanyahu huge political momentum: a reason to dissolve the Knesset, call snap elections, and push through sweeping changes to the justice system, especially when it comes to gatekeepers, including immunity for himself and other elected officials.

It would amount to a full-blown constitutional shake-up — one that shields him no matter what evidence or testimony the investigators and prosecutors might have.

If the Americans and Iranians end up signing a deal by the end of May, there’s a decent chance Netanyahu will make a run for a plea bargain — and we could be looking at snap elections as early as September.

So why not go for a plea deal now? Because if the US backs Israel in a strike on Iran, the focus will shift completely. The legal issues will be pushed aside, giving Netanyahu time to reset.

Once again, just to be clear: this isn’t based on any report or leak — it’s simply my own take and personal assessment