Israeli Elections
“The public does not want to go to elections, and the Knesset’s job is to represent the public,” said Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.
In letter to Jewish Home Party leader Rafi Peretz, Otzma Yehudit, officials say they feel like they were “used and thrown out” after the April 9 elections.
All eyes are on former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Tiberias Mayor Ron Kobi, though many developments will likely pop up between now and the Aug 2. deadline to submit party lists for the Sept. 17 elections.
Jewish Home leader Rafi Peretz agreed prior to the April elections to resign if appointed as a minister. Now that he’s education minister, not only is he not doing so, they say he’s not even answering the phone.
Amir Ohana and Bezalel Smotrich are making headlines with their staunch views, although some say it’s more about politicking than policy.
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman calls for a national liberal emergency coalition • Likud: The cat is out the bag; Lieberman wants a leftist government.
While mistakes have been made, acknowledges Labor Party Knesset member Hilik Bar, “no one should eulogize the Labor Party.”
The New Right Party “appeals to the entire nation, and if you are not a hard leftist, it does not antagonize you,” says Moshe Feiglin.
In a Facebook post, he wrote: “The party is in a great crisis, and I do not absolve myself of responsibility.”
While polls still show that right-wing parties dominate the political map, Blue and White Party officials say if they receive a few more seats than Likud, then the president will ask Benny Gantz to form the next government instead of Benjamin Netanyahu.
The decision was the next logical step in light of Labor’s poor showing in the April 9 general election, which saw the party dwindle to just six mandates.
They are attempting proactive measures now so that the end result will be a government coalition under Benjamin Netanyahu.
