Itongadol.- Livni does not commit to voting against bill, which means she may abstain and save her spot in the coalition.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\’s coalition appeared to be unraveling after the cabinet approved legislation giving legal weight to Israel\’s Jewish character Sunday.
During the heated discussion of the "Jewish state bill" in the cabinet, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said to Netanyahu: "The elephant in the room is that you want us" – Hatnua and Yesh Atid – "to vote against this so you can fire us," Livni said.
Later, Livni said she will not contribute to the measure, which she called anti-democratic. However, when asked directly in an interview on Channel 2 News, she did not commit to voting against it, which means she may abstain and save her spot in the coalition.
Science, Technology and Space Minister Ya\’acov Peri, told Army Radio that Yesh Atid will stand for its principles, and said leaving the coalition is a serious option if private member bills on the topic, as opposed to just Netanyahu\’s, move forward.
If a minister votes against government policy, it is akin to him or her resigning, and the prime minister can fire him or her.