Israeli OM Naftali Bennett has lost grip on the majority in Knesset following a new move by a key member.
Israel is in the verge of a fresh political turmoil that might see the country in deadlock for months again. The present condition might open the door for Benjamin Netanyahu‘s comeback to the office in Tel Aviv.
Yesterday, a senior member of Israeli Prime Minister’s party announced her departure from his governing coalition. Naftali Bennett now finds himself without a legislative majority as a result of the unforeseen action.
Bennett’s coalition now has 60 MPs, equaling the opposition, thanks to Idit Silman’s declaration. The coalition of parties formerly included a variety of factions extending from the Jewish right to Israeli leftists and even included an Arab-Palestinian party.
Silman’s resignation does not doom the alliance to a definite failure. It does, however, open the possibility of Netanyahu’s returning to power less than a year after losing the power.
Silman emphasized in a letter to the PM that key ideals in her viewpoint are at odds with present reality. She went on to say that as part of the alliance, she could no longer bear seeing those values compromised. “Acknowledge the truth: we tried. The time has come to think of a new course. To try to form a nationalist, Jewish, Zionist government,” Silman noted in part of her letter to Naftali Bennett.
Silman’s move occurs a few days after her challenge with the health minister over the leavened bread decision about hospitals. She believes that the ministry’s order for the Passover holidays goes against the Jewish and Israeli traditions.
Bennett’s failure in preserving the majority in the Parliament, according to some analysts, demonstrated that the alliance fell short of right policies for a great part of its factions.
Naftali Bennett; New Era
Bennett’s government may manage to maintain power with the remaining 60 seats, but new law will be tough to pass. The Knesset, on the other hand, might stage a no confidence vote if another coalition member quit. Israel would need to enjoy its sixth legislative election in four years, as a more dramatic consequence.
Silman was greeted warmly by the oppositions groups following her announcement. She had been under persistent attacks by the same groups after joining Bennett’s ruling coalition in 2021. In a welcome announcement, Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Idit, you’re proof that what guides you is the concern for Jewish identity of Israel, the concern for the land of Israel, and I welcome you back home to the national camp.”
Netanyahu further encouraged other friends who joined Bennett coalition to “come home”. “Join Idit Silman, join us, and together we will return Israel to the track of success, achievement, security and peace.”
Former Prime Minister had promised to pull off an upset against Naftali Bennett’s government, putting a stop to his tyrannical rule. BiBi, as he is known, was Israel’s longest-lasting premier, serving from 1996 to 1999 and then again for 11 years staring from 2009.
“There is a weak and limp government in Israel today,” Netanyahu remarked during a special meeting of parliament.” He went even further to assert that the cabinet has a finite number of days left.
Netanyahu would have to secure the backing of at least 61 legislators to create his own government without holding new elections. He is now well short of that criterion, and does not have the backing of all 60 opposition members of parliament. The six members of the Joint List, which is dominated by Arabs, are staunch opponents of the former prime minister.
