Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday has said he is withdrawing his bid for parliamentary immunity from prosecution on corruption charges, paving the way for a trial to begin, Eurasia Diary reports citing Aljazeera.
Israel's longest-serving prime minister issued a Facebook statement on Tuesday saying the immunity proceedings in parliament would have been a "circus" and he did not want to take part in a "dirty game".
"I informed the Knesset speaker that I am withdrawing my immunity request," Netanyahu said.
Israel's parliament, the Knesset, was set to convene to discuss the formation of a committee to debate the prime minister's request for immunity from prosecution.
Netanyahu's Likud party was planning to boycott the Knesset session.
"In this fateful hour for the people of Israel, when I am in the United States on a historic mission to design the permanent borders of Israel and ensure our security for decades to come, the Knesset is expected to open another exhibition in the circus of removing immunity," Netanyahu wrote.
The Israeli prime minister is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the White House for the announcement of the Trump administration's long-anticipated plan for the Middle East.