Efforts underway to heal rifts in coalition

• Published date: 09 October 2021
• Author: GIL HOFFMAN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to resolve a dispute about her visit last week to the United Arab Emirates. The Yediot Aharonot newspaper quoted a minister criticizing Shaked for saying in the UAE that she opposed the creation of a Palestinian State.

The anonymous minister was quoted by columnist Sima Kadmon saying that making such a statement in Abu Dhabi was either sabotaging the peace agreement with the UAE or proved that she did not understand Israel's foreign relations.

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In a post on Facebook, Shaked bashed the minister, who her associates said was Lapid. She wrote that her Emirati counterpart called her to tell her that her visit was a great success and said she received an impression that the Palestinians are not a big issue for the UAE's leaders. She vowed to continue to air her view against a Palestinian state no matter where she goes.

Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar told Channel 12 on Saturday night that Shaked had the right to speak her mind.

"All these internal disputes are a waste," Sa'ar said. "It is important to know when to have restraint."

Efforts were also made over the weekend to heal a rift between Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, after Bennett did not tell Gantz in advance that he would reveal in his Knesset speech that there was a secret operation...