Following the difficulties he has faced with the coalition since the fall of the Judea and Samaria Regulations Law, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and MK Nir Orbach held several meetings this week to bring about the continued existence of the coalition, which lost three votes in the Knesset yesterday.
According to a report by the political commentator of “Israel Today”, Matti Tochfeld, the fourth conversation between Nir Orbach and Naftali Bennett, the conversation that took place on Monday, was the most difficult of them all.
Tochfeld claims that Bennett highlighted in a conversation the visit of US President Joe Biden next month. This is a very sensitive political event, Biden’s first official visit to Israel. “Can you imagine what would happen if Lapid were the prime minister at the time of the visit?” Bennett asked Auerbach. Bennett’s entourage hopes that Orbach understands the importance of things and will allow Bennett to be the one to lead him, and not deputy prime minister Yair Lapid.
“I am not part of the coalition”
Recall that last Monday, after that conversation, Auerbach announced that he would stop voting with the coalition until the Judea and Samaria regulations were passed. “After a week of meetings with the prime minister and other parties – I have come to the conclusion that the coalition can not continue to exist in its current conduct,” Auerbach explained.
He further explained that he does not think going to the polls is the preferred alternative. “Election rounds do not serve the stability required for power in the country. In the coming week I will not vote for the dissolution of the Knesset. I will do my best for a stable government with a national spirit, as we pledged about a year ago. I informed the prime minister this morning.