Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks during an inauguration ceremony for a fortified emergency room at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, southern Israel, February 20, 2018. (Reuters photo)
JERUSALEM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli opposition leader said on Wednesday that the country should prepare for elections in response to a series of corruption investigations relating to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Two of Netanyahu's confidants were apprehended over alleged involvement in corruption and a third agreed to become a state witness against the long-time prime minister.
"The Netanyahu era is over," Avi Gabbay, the leader of the Zionist Union, Israel's main opposition party, wrote in a letter to his party members.
"The criminal house of cards constructed by the prime minister in recent years: the corruption of the public service, the damage to the rule of law, the threat to press freedom, and above all: the division and incitement of factions of Israeli society one against the other, is collapsing upon him and upon his surroundings," Gabbay said.
He urged Netanyahu to resign to allow "the process of healing and mending Israel society from these evil days" to begin.
The opposition leader also called on Netanyahu's main coalition partners, Moshe Kahlon, the head of the Kulanu party, and Naftali Bennet, the head of the Jewish Home party, to dissolve the coalition.
Meanwhile, Shlomo Filber, the former director of the Communication Ministry, agreed overnight to become a state witness and testify that he was instructed by Netanyahu to give financial and regulatory benefits to Bezeq, Israel's giant communication company.
In return, Walla, a news site controlled by Bezeq, allegedly avoid criticizing Netanyahu and gave him and his wife Sara positive coverage.
In addition, Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman of Netanyahu, is suspected of trying to bribe a judge in return for closing a criminal case against Sara Netanyahu.
Last week, the police said sufficient evidence was found to charge Netanyahu in two separate bribery cases.
Netanyahu has dismissed the allegations as a "witch-hunt" aimed at toppling him.
