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TEL AVIV Israel – The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will not step down ahead of the forthcoming elections, even if he is charged with corruption.

He said for him to do so would be a blow to democracy.

The Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit of Israel’s High Court of Justice has received a brief from police recommending the prime minister be indicted. It is not known when a decision will be made as to whether charges will be laid, and if so, when.

If he  indicts Netanyahu on graft charges, the prime minister will be entitled to defend himself at a hearing before formal charges are filed. The big question in Israel is what and the attorney general will do, and at what point. What everyone is currently asking, particularly Mr Netanyahu’s opponents ands critics, is whether the attorney general will act on the corruption cases before the general elections in April.

Mr Netanyahu explained his position to a packed press conference in Rio de Janeiro on his trip to Brazil.

He said the law was specific on the issue, that there is no obligation on him to resign if charged. He also repeated previous denials of any wrongdoing.

“Israel is a country of law, and the law does not require that a prime minister resigns during the process of a hearing,” Mr Netanyahu told the press conference on Monday.

“The hearing doesn’t end until my side is heard. And therefore it is not logical to open a hearing process before elections if you can’t finish it before elections,” he said.

“Imagine what happens if you oust a prime minister before the end of the hearing process, and at the end of the hearing, it is decided to close the case. That would be absurd, and a terrible blow to democracy,” the prime minister added.

“It’s absured. It would cause terrible harm to democracy. In a democracy, who will lead is determined according to the polls and not a partial legal process.”

Police in Israel have recommended Mr Netanyahu be charged with corruption on several counts, the most prominent being, one that he accepted gifts from billionaires who are friends; and two that he dealt favours to a newspaper group by advancing legislation favourable to that group in exchange for positive media coverage in the group’s newspaper.