Itongadol.- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\’s efforts to expand his coalition appeared to hit a snag Sunday when a dispute with Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett forced him to postpone the approval of Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman as defense minister.
The vote was supposed to take place by telephone in Netanyahu\’s cabinet Sunday and in the Knesset on Monday, culminating in a swearing-in ceremony for Liberman and his Yisrael Beytenu colleague, incoming immigrant absorption minister Sofa Landver.
But due to the dispute with Bennett, the ministers did not vote and the Knesset vote was delayed to Wednesday. A security cabinet meeting on Sunday that Netanyahu and Bennett attended did not result in a discussion on how to resolve the dispute over Bennett\’s request for security cabinet ministers to be briefed regularly by a military secretary.
Netanyahu\’s associates said he would not give into blackmail. Bennett said he was ready to be fired or face elections for his demand.
"We are not asking for money or political patronage positions – we are asking to keep people safe," Bennett said on a visit to Jerusalem\’s Himmelfarb school. "Their safety is more important than portfolios in the government. I will continue to fight and defend the citizens and soldiers of the IDF and the residents of the Gaza periphery wherever i will be, in the cabinet or out of it."
He sent a letter over the weekend to his loyalists suggesting that lives have been lost in wars because ministers were not being briefed due to the "ego" of the prime minister. Channel 10 reported that Bennett sees Liberman as unfit to be defense minister.
"We will vote against the Libernman appointment even if it leads to elections," Bayit Yehudi minister Ayelet Shaked told Israel Radio.
Various mediators tried to bridge the gap between the two sides Sunday, including Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.
"The gap is not wide," Edelstein wrote on Twitter. "We should not forget that our goal is to serve the public and not force them into unnecessary elections every year." President Reuven Rivlin said "attempts to expand the government are right and justified."
There was talk Sunday of Netanyahu turning back to Zionist Union chairman Isaac Herzog if Bayit Yehudi leaves the coalition. But Herzog\’s spokesman denied that mediators had turned to him on Netayahu\’s behalf. "If Netanyahu calls, Herzog should slam the phone in his face," Zionist Union MK Erel MArgalit said.
An unlikely alliance of MKs from Likud, Zionist Union, Yesh Atid and Meretz all came to Bennett’s defense.
Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelah said he completely agrees with Bennett’s demands, and that the proposal was mentioned in his book.
“It’s unfortunate that the hanging sword of a comptroller report was necessary for a minister to make these demands, and even more unfortunate that the prime minister, who is directly responsible for the security cabinet being weak and meaningless, treats them as purely political and doesn’t repair what is necessary,” Shelah stated.
Meretz chairwoman Zehava Gal-On called on Bennett not to compromise on the matter.
“Israel’s security is more important than a political deal,” she argued. “On this issue, Bennett and I share an opinion, and we must do everything to prevent the next security oversight.”
MK Ksenia Svetlova (Zionst Union) said “it is irresponsible [for cabinet ministers] to make decisions without having the necessary background. This chaotic system cost us lives. Bennett’s demand is reasonable, and I hope it is accepted.”
The one coalition lawmaker outside of Bayit Yehudi who came out in support of Bennett was Likud rebel Oren Hazan.
“The security cabinet has great responsibilities for our security and if they make decisions without full intelligence and operative materials…that is a serious problem, wrong and forbidden,” he stated.