Tech industry leaders call on Netanyahu to resign

Benjamin Netanyahu Photo: Eyal Izhar
Benjamin Netanyahu Photo: Eyal Izhar

Two open letters from Israel's business community today express concern at the political stalemate and attacks on the country's legal system.

In a letter published today, leading Israeli technology industry figures called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign immediately. This is the second letter published today by business leaders following the filing of an indictment against Netanyahu and the continued political stalemate, which many believe will result in a third round of Knesset elections.

In the first letter published today, dozens of leading businesspeople called for a halt to the incitement against government agencies and for the formation of a government not tainted by corruption. "Growth and economic well-being require a strong and stable democracy. This requires a regime untainted by corruption that respects democratic values, including the independence of the legal system and a free press," the letter states.

The second and more caustic letter calls for Netanyahu to resign immediately, following the filing of an indictment against him. "It is unacceptable for Israel and its democratic institutions to become a victim of the prime minister's personal battle for survival. The prime minister should resign immediately and take care of his legal affairs as a private citizen," the letter says. The letter, an initiative of the Qumra Capital growth fund, has been signed by 90 technology industry leaders, among them entrepreneurs and partners in venture capital funds. Among the signatories are Mellanox founder and CEO Eyal Waldman, TLV Partners founding partner Rona Segev, Vintage Investment Partners managing partner Alan Feld, Intimate Capital managing partner Roi Carthy, Firstime VC managing partner Nir Tarlovsky, and Pixellot CEO Alon Werber.

"This is the minimum we can do as citizens living here. I hope that more and more people in the country reach the conclusion that a brave decision must be taken. This has nothing to do with right or left; it is a deadlocked situation that we have been in for almost a year, without a government, and there is one person bringing everything to a complete halt. We cannot allow this continue in this way," says Qumra Capital co-founder and managing partner Boaz Dinte, who initiated the letter.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 27, 2019

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2019

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