Israel’s attorney general said Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not required to leave office following his indictment on corruption charges, reports AP.
Avichai Mandelblit said in a statement that Netanyahu can remain interim prime minister, just days after serving him with charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery.
Netanyahu faces calls from his opponents to step down following the indictment.
Israeli law requires other public officials, including Cabinet ministers, to resign if charged with a crime. But it doesn’t explicitly state that a prime minister has to leave office in those circumstances.
Netanyahu is the first-ever sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime.
Netanyahu also holds the agriculture, labor and welfare, health and Diaspora affairs portfolios.