<p class="title">Israeli lawmakers on Monday voted in favour of discussing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's immunity request, bringing the premier's legal woes to the fore weeks ahead of an election.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Netanyahu lodged his immunity request with parliament earlier this month in a move critics said was aimed at delaying court proceedings until after the March 2 polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But after days of wrangling over parliamentary procedure, a committee of lawmakers met Monday and voted 16 to 1 in favour of taking the next step to discuss the premier's request.</p>.<p class="bodytext">They did not set a date to convene the separate House Committee that will deal directly with Netanyahu's immunity bid.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Monday's vote came after the parliamentary speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, tried unsuccessfully to scupper the procedure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Edelstein asked parliamentary legal advisor Eyal Yinon whether he had the authority to stop the committees being formed, but Yinon concluded Sunday the speaker could not stand in the way.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Netanyahu's top rival, Benny Gantz, subsequently urged lawmakers from his Blue and White alliance to start the immunity debate "as soon as possible".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Parties representing 65 lawmakers in favour of denying Netanyahu immunity -- a majority of the 120 Knesset members -- had earlier requested the process be launched.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The prime minister was charged by the attorney general in November with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three corruption cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Likud leader denies the allegations and accuses prosecutors and the media of a witch hunt.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister is only required to step down once convicted of an offence and after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Likud and Blue and White were deadlocked in April and September elections, prompting a third national poll within a year.</p>
<p class="title">Israeli lawmakers on Monday voted in favour of discussing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's immunity request, bringing the premier's legal woes to the fore weeks ahead of an election.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Netanyahu lodged his immunity request with parliament earlier this month in a move critics said was aimed at delaying court proceedings until after the March 2 polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But after days of wrangling over parliamentary procedure, a committee of lawmakers met Monday and voted 16 to 1 in favour of taking the next step to discuss the premier's request.</p>.<p class="bodytext">They did not set a date to convene the separate House Committee that will deal directly with Netanyahu's immunity bid.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Monday's vote came after the parliamentary speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, tried unsuccessfully to scupper the procedure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Edelstein asked parliamentary legal advisor Eyal Yinon whether he had the authority to stop the committees being formed, but Yinon concluded Sunday the speaker could not stand in the way.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Netanyahu's top rival, Benny Gantz, subsequently urged lawmakers from his Blue and White alliance to start the immunity debate "as soon as possible".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Parties representing 65 lawmakers in favour of denying Netanyahu immunity -- a majority of the 120 Knesset members -- had earlier requested the process be launched.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The prime minister was charged by the attorney general in November with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three corruption cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Likud leader denies the allegations and accuses prosecutors and the media of a witch hunt.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister is only required to step down once convicted of an offence and after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Likud and Blue and White were deadlocked in April and September elections, prompting a third national poll within a year.</p>