Holding On

JERUSALEM: Benjamin Netanyahu has retained high-powered defense lawyer Yaacov Weinroth after police informed him he is a suspect in a broadening political scandal that could seriously damage his ability to govern. Over the weekend, investigators "warned," or "cautioned," the Prime Minister that anything he said could be held against him in the investigation into his appointment of Roni Bar-On as Attorney General last month. Public outcry over the inexperienced Bar-On's lack of stature was so great that the lawyer was forced to resign after a day in office. Allegations have been made that Bar-On was appointed so that he could arrange a plea bargain in the corruption trail of prominent religious party leader Arieh Deri, perhaps in return for Deri throwing his party's support toward the recent Hebron agreement. The question of the moment in Israel is this: Did Netanyahu arrange the alleged trade-off, or was it the work of his office, with or without his knowledge? Opposition party members have pounced on the scandal to call for Netanyahu's resignation. Is Netanyahu finished? "Not yet," says TIME's Bill Stewart, "but things are getting worse. The greatest threat is a vote of no-confidence by the Knesset. But that would entail Likud, essentially, voting themselves right out of business. Only an indictment, and the ensuing public outcry, could induce Likud to turn against their leader." Labor party Secretary-General Nissim Zvilli called a meeting of party officials Sunday night to begin planning for that very possibility. But Netanyahu insisted that reports of his demise are premature. "I intend to continue to lead the state of Israel," he said in Jordan. "I heard the (opposition) is getting ready for new elections. I have good advice for you: 'Wait. You have a good four years left.'"