Bennett purges Yamina of MKs who opposed new government

• Author: GIL HOFFMAN
• Published date: 15 June 2021
• Date: 15 June 2021

Efforts to rid the Yamina faction of MKs who opposed forming the new government began on Tuesday with the resignation of the next candidate on the list to enter the Knesset, Shai Maimon.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett wants his faction of seven MKs to be loyal to him and his government.

After Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana quit the Knesset via the Expanded Norwegian Law on Sunday night to bring in deaf activist Shirley Pinto, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked also wanted to resign. But she did not quit out of concern that Maimon, who was after Pinto on the list, would join the opposition and cause the coalition to lose its majority.

Maimon said he decided to keep his promise not to join a coalition backed by "supporters of terrorism," a reference to the Ra'am (United Arab List) Party of MK Mansour Abbas.

In the resignation letter he sent to Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy, Maimon said he decided to leave Yamina's list because remaining would not bring the government down.

But sources who spoke to Maimon said another reason for his departure was that he wanted to be collegial to the next candidates on the list, who became friends with him as they campaigned together for the Knesset. Shaked can now resign in favor of the head of Yamina's French-speaking campaign, attorney Yomtob Kalfon.

Yamina has another portfolio to give out: the Community Affairs Ministry. It is expected to go to MK Nir Orbach, who would quit the Knesset via the Norwegian Law in favor of Yamina's next candidate, the head of its Russian-speaking campaign, Ashdod City Councilwoman Stella Weinstein.

The Expanded Norwegian Law, which was passed on June 15, 2020, enables ministers and deputy ministers to resign their Knesset seats to allow the next candidates on their party lists to take their place. Any...