Although MK Nir Orbach has been absent from the Knesset since voicing his threats on the government’s future, he receives visits from coalition members who are trying to delay his vote on the Knesset dissolution law, which will inevitably roll the government to the polls. On the one hand, Orbach filters talks between Finance Minister Lieberman, but on the other hand he also does not maintain continuous contact with Likud Knesset members, who are trying to get a commitment from him to support the Knesset dissolution law on Wednesday – similar to that received from the joint list.
On Monday morning, MK Shlomo Qarai put the law to dissolve the Knesset on the Knesset table, but the Likud has not yet decided whether to put it to a vote on Wednesday. If the two are absent from the vote, the law will fall. The Likud is not interested in taking such a risk, so the question of timing is still on the table: dispersal in a preliminary reading this week or next week.
Signs of stability in the coalition
In contrast to the pessimism that grips all parts of the coalition, it is precisely Finance Minister Lieberman who is broadcasting business as usual. Despite his announcement of a halt to work on the budget, he told Globes that in the office, work is continuing. “The work continues. The budget department is working on the sections of the Arrangements Law and the budget framework needs to be defined.” Lieberman said that his office was working on the budget laws and that the prime minister would instruct him whether to proceed to the next stage, but in those very minutes the Prime Minister’s Office said that the political forecast did not align with the budget approval in the Knesset.
Meanwhile, the coalition is showing signs of stabilizing and is expected to pass three laws through cooperation with the joint list: the government mailing law on second and third reading and two more laws on first reading. Regarding the Compensation for Business Owners Act following the joint wave of Omicron withdrew its consent. Another positive sign that the coalition relies on comes from the direction of RAAM, where progress is reported in the retirement of MK Mazen Ghanaim. The coalition claimed that Ghanaim’s retirement letter had been ready for two weeks, so they would not believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.
In addition, behind the scenes, the coalition reports that Defense Minister Bnei Gantz has in recent days urged the chairman of the Economy Committee, Michael Bitton, to withdraw from the sanctions on the coalition. The public transportation reform The meeting that took place yesterday between the two did not lead to any progress in finding an agreed formula.
Bitton said at the opening of the Economics Committee meeting, “Unfortunately on the issue of public transport – the gaps are large. The fact is that the solutions have not yet arrived. I asked that we continue to think creatively. “I think it will allow the reform to move forward and prevent a painful injury to me in the weakened populations. My spirit is to compromise and agree, while maintaining principles.”
Government Judiciary and Deadline Regulations
Back to the crucial front, Orbach does not see any progress and right-wingers claim that he will not vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset this week and that he is “right to exhaust the attempts to form a government in this Knesset.” The unofficial reason for the setbacks is a request from Naftali Bennett to remain in the Prime Minister’s Office until the US President’s visit in the middle of next month or another version: to prevent Lapid from being the one to accept Biden as prime minister.
One way or another, the sense of stabilization in the coalition can last until next week at most – at the end of the month, the Judea and Samaria Regulations Law will expire, along with another declared ultimatum issued by Auerbach and Justice Minister Gideon Saar for the coalition. Even if Ganaim resigns by then, MK Jida Rinawi Zoabi does not give in to her party leader’s requests to retire from the coalition and she can overthrow the law once again.
Behind the scenes, over the weekend in personal talks and also at the meeting of the coalition leaders on Sunday, Lapid demanded from the coalition leaders a high commitment to the continued existence of the government. At a meeting of the Yesh Atid faction on Monday afternoon, he said more blunt words to the hesitant and rebellious Knesset members: “Those who find it difficult to go home. Those who do not stand the tension will resign.” But Auerbach has no retirement intentions and as long as he does not return to it, he can only extend the days of grace of the government by delaying the dissolution of the Knesset law between calls in the committee headed by him. The coalition now estimates that the new deadline for dispersal will be after the US president’s visit.