Benjamin Netanyahu is facing the battle of his life in Israel’s general election set for May, with his liberty at stake. Israel’s longest-serving prime minister is trapped in a high-stakes balancing act, weighing his legal battles and the risk of imprisonment against the stability of his fragile coalition.

Netanyahu’s legal woes, however, remain his biggest existential threat. He is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three different cases, dubbed Case 1000, Case 2000, and Case 4000. The charges include accepting expensive gifts, including champagne and cigars, from businesspeople; colluding with businesspeople to secure favourable media coverage in exchange for regulatory perks for telecommunications companies; and seeking to control news coverage by making backroom deals with newspaper publishers.

The trial has been a long-drawn-out process, but it seems to be leading to a conclusive end. According to legal experts, if Netanyahu is found guilty on all charges, he might face a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. For a 76-year-old man, this would mean a life sentence, considering he has been a dominant force in Israeli politics over the last three decades. Netanyahu appears determined to retain power at any cost, utilizing every available lever of influence to ensure he remains a free man. While in office, he can leverage his authority to pursue legislative remedies, influence prosecutorial leniency, or secure a presidential pardon—avenues that vanish the moment he loses the premiership.

The gangster’s brief: The Barr Doctrine, Noriega and Maduro

The cracks within the Netanyahu uneasy coalition, comprising incompatible parties, seem to be deepening. The ultra-Orthodox parties, which........

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