Progress in the coalition negotiations: In a statement published this morning (Tuesday) by Likud and Religious Zionism, the two parties announced that there has been progress in the negotiations and they have reached the threshold of signing and reaching agreements on most issues. The negotiations are expected to continue today.
Religious Zionism made it clear that, contrary to publications, it is not opposed to the appointment of a temporary Knesset Speaker and tonight it acceded to Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu’s request to immediately appoint a temporary Knesset Speaker.
Ben Gvir against Smotrich: “There are factions that oppose the replacement of the Speaker of the Knesset”
As mentioned, one of the claims against religious Zionism is that the party does not want to replace the speaker of the Knesset. The chairman of Otzma Yehudit, Knesset member Itamar Ben Gabir, attacked Smotrich in his party due to their refusal to support the replacement of the speaker of the Knesset.
Ben Gvir against religious Zionism: there are factions that oppose the replacement of the Knesset leader pic.twitter.com/dF06apQQ2P
— Amiel Yerachi (@amiel_y) November 28, 2022
“Terror is not waiting for us, violence is not waiting for us, the anarchists are working in the field. There is no time, we must start the procedures to form a government. I understand that there are factions from the future coalition that do not want to support the replacement of the speaker of the Knesset and this is a grave mistake. I call on all factions of the future coalition to announce today their support for the replacement of the speaker of the Knesset,” said speaker Otzma Yehudit.
Ben Gabir and Smotrich Photo: Flash90
This is the first and most important step and you should not waste precious time
He also added that “we will continue to negotiate with the Likud, we will continue to discuss the issues that are important to us, but this is a big problem, we have to start the process, we have to manage the State of Israel and it starts here in the Knesset. Replacing the speaker of the Knesset is the first and most important step and we must not waste precious time. We have been waiting for more than a year and a half for these moments when we can govern, let’s govern.”
A member of religious Zionism in response to Ben Gabir’s attack: “We are not the obstacle to the appointment of the Speaker of the Knesset, we were not contacted on the issue.”