Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is surrounded by journalists and lawyers in a courtroom before testimony by star witness Nir Hefetz, a former aide, in Netanyahu’s corruption trial at the District Court in east Jerusalem, November 22, 2021. Maya Alleruzzo/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News – Israel’s state prosecution believes that former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sign a plea deal within days, Channel 12 News reported Friday.

The report cited unnamed officials who assessed that Netanyahu decided to go for a deal, with an agreement that could be finalized as early as next week.

Channel 13, however, believes there is only a “50/50” chance that Netanyahu will sign the deal, citing unnamed “sources involved in the details of the plea deal.”

Other sources to Channel 13 say that the chances of Netanyahu signing the plea deal are high as he wants to “leave the matter behind him.”

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit reportedly “strongly distrusts” Netanyahu, rejecting proposals by the former prime minister’s attorneys to exchange drafts of an amended charge sheet.

Mandelblit insists that Netanyahu must first agree to the risk of being convicted of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 4000. He will also remain a member of Knesset until the court determines his punishment, sentencing him to community service, Channel 12 reported.

The report states that former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak is pushing Mandelblit to make the deal, believing that the public interest in a plea deal is greater than the interest in the trial moving forward.

The reported deal would only see bribery charges against Netanyahu being removed, however, he would be required to agree to a conviction including “moral turpitude.” This would eject him from public life for at least seven years, most likely ending his political career.