https://sputnikglobe.com/20220601/israeli-justice-minister-saar-denies-claims-of-talks-to-join-netanyahus-opposition-1095930535.html
Israeli Justice Minister Sa’ar Denies Claims of Talks to Join Netanyahu’s Opposition
Israeli Justice Minister Sa’ar Denies Claims of Talks to Join Netanyahu’s Opposition
Sputnik International
Talking to Israeli media on Wednesday, Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar denied reports he was in talks to desert the ruling coalition and join Likud, his former... 01.06.2022, Sputnik International
2022-06-01T23:39+0000
2022-06-01T23:39+0000
2022-06-01T23:38+0000
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"[T]here are and were no negotiations with Likud,” Sa’ar told reporters. He similarly rejected claims that Housing Minister Zeev Elkin, also part of Sa’ar’s New Hope party, was in talks with real estate mogul Yaakov Atrakchi, a close confidant of Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu.New Hope MK Meir Yitzhak Halevi earlier dismissed the reports as “fake news” he said were being spread by Netanyahu supporters.The rumors about Sa’ar came after he demanded on Tuesday that all coalition members support the extension of the emergency regulations bill that governs Israeli military rule over Area C of the West Bank. The bill allows for the governance of the roughly 386,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank in a manner that does not amount to annexation.The rumor mill about Bennett’s government collapsing has been churning nonstop for weeks, with MKs leaving or threatening to leave the coalition and deprive it of its razor-thin majority in the Knesset.Ironically, the first threatened resignation came from Bennett himself, who demanded approval of a large Jewish housing expansion package for the West Bank – one of his pet projects. However, others followed, including the very real resignations of senior foreign affairs adviser Shimrit Meir and Bennett’s longtime confidant, Tal Gan-Zvi, due to policy conflicts with other coalition members.Another rumor last week claimed that Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who leads the centrist Blue and White bloc, was in talks with Netanyahu to join the opposition. A longtime political rival of Netanyahu, Gantz told reporters the corruption allegations against Netanyahu made it impossible to consider joining him.Bennett’s government was assembled in June 2021 by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid rather than Bennett himself, after then-Prime Minister Netanyahu failed to form a government following elections. To win the right-wing Bennett into the eclectic coalition of right, center, and left-wing parties, Lapid agreed to let him be prime minister for two years while Lapid served as foreign minister, then the two would switch. That rotation is scheduled to happen in 2023, although few observers expect the government to survive the year.
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israel, coalition, likud, meretz, gideon sa'ar
israel, coalition, likud, meretz, gideon sa'ar
Israeli Justice Minister Sa’ar Denies Claims of Talks to Join Netanyahu’s Opposition
Talking to Israeli media on Wednesday, Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar denied reports he was in talks to desert the ruling coalition and join Likud, his former party, in the opposition. It’s just the latest bit of political drama threatening to tear Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s fragile coalition apart.
"[T]here are and were no negotiations with Likud,”
Sa’ar told reporters. He similarly rejected claims that Housing Minister Zeev Elkin, also part of Sa’ar’s New Hope party, was in talks with real estate mogul Yaakov Atrakchi, a close confidant of Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
"My position has not changed. A false propaganda campaign is being waged,” Sa’ar said, although he added that "not a week goes by without emissaries [of opposition parties] coming to us."
New Hope MK Meir Yitzhak Halevi earlier dismissed the reports as “fake news” he said were being spread by Netanyahu supporters.
The rumors about Sa’ar came after he demanded on Tuesday that all coalition members support the extension of the emergency regulations bill that governs Israeli military rule over Area C of the West Bank. The bill allows for the governance of the roughly 386,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank in a manner that does not amount to annexation.
The bill has been automatically renewed every five years since the territory was seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, but coalition parties
Meretz and Ra’am postponed this year’s renewal for a week by threatening to vote against it.
The rumor mill about Bennett’s government collapsing has been churning nonstop for weeks, with MKs leaving or threatening to leave the coalition and deprive it of its razor-thin majority in the Knesset.
Ironically, the first threatened resignation came from Bennett himself,
who demanded approval of a large Jewish housing expansion package for the West Bank – one of his pet projects. However, others followed, including
the very real resignations of senior foreign affairs adviser Shimrit Meir and Bennett’s longtime confidant, Tal Gan-Zvi, due to policy conflicts with other coalition members.
MK Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi of Meretz also left the coalition before returning several days later, and Blue and White MK Michael Biton said he would no longer vote with the coalition because of his objections to proposed reforms in public transportation and agriculture. However, Biton also said he would refuse to join a no-confidence vote against Bennett.
Another rumor last week claimed that Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who leads the centrist Blue and White bloc,
was in talks with Netanyahu to join the opposition. A longtime political rival of Netanyahu, Gantz told reporters the corruption allegations against Netanyahu made it impossible to consider joining him.
Bennett’s government was
assembled in June 2021 by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid rather than Bennett himself, after then-Prime Minister Netanyahu failed to form a government following elections. To win the right-wing Bennett into the eclectic coalition of right, center, and left-wing parties, Lapid agreed to let him be prime minister for two years while Lapid served as foreign minister, then the two would switch. That rotation is scheduled to happen in 2023, although few observers expect the government to survive the year.
