Yehudit MK On Monday, Zvika Fogel, chairman of the Knesset National Security Committee, canceled all sessions for this week as part of the party’s political boycott of the cabinet and Knesset voting over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to implement “fully right wing” national security policy.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday sessions of Fogel’s internal security committee were canceled.
Otzma Yehudit’s ministers boycotted Sunday morning’s weekly cabinet meeting, and party chair and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced last week that his party would not attend Knesset votes until it is given “significant influence” over the government’s national security policy.
Otzma Yehudit’s boycott
On Sunday evening, KAN’s Michael Shemesh reported on Ben-Gvir’s boycott-ending demands. These include a military campaign in Judea and Samaria, Ben-Gvir’s security consultations, and deteriorating terrorists’ prison circumstances.
After nearly 20 Gaza rockets were fired on Tuesday, Ben-Gvir was not called to a security status review, escalating tensions between him and Netanyahu. The national security minister initially simply boycotted Wednesday’s Knesset session.
On Wednesday, the Likud said Ben-Gvir might quit if he didn’t like the government’s actions. The national security minister replied by continuing the Knesset plenum boycott until he is invited to critical security decision-making venues and given a role in policymaking.
The coalition’s 58-56 majority will remain until Otzma Yehudit’s six MKs return to the Knesset plenum.
