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Knesset set to dissolve; Likud minister quits politics
The Knesset is expected to formally dissolve today ahead of upcoming elections, while a senior Likud Party minister has surprisingly quit politics.
The Knesset will open its winter session today, but is expected to pass a bill, approved by the cabinet on Sunday, to dissolve and schedule elections for January 22nd. Before the vote on dissolution, ceremonies marking the opening of the winter session will take place, including speeches by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, Opposition Leader Shaul Mofaz and leaders of other factions.
Meanwhile, Likud’s Minister for Communications and Welfare Moshe Kahlon, stunned Israel’s political world by announcing last night that he is quitting politics, at least for the time being and will not be a candidate in the upcoming elections. Kahlon is a popular figure in the party, having been placed high on the Likud’s list of parliamentary candidates in the last two elections. In his time as a minister, he has been widely credited for reforming Israel’s mobile phone industry and is regarded as Likud’s leading voice on social issues.
Kahlon denied any suggestion of a rift between him and Netanyahu, pledging his continued support for the Prime Minister, explaining “I’ve been through four intensive and difficult years, and I think I need a break.”
In other election-related news, it remains unclear who will head the religious party Shas going into January’s vote, as the two leadership rivals Eli Yishai and Arye Deri came face to face at a religious event yesterday. Yishai currently heads the party, but Deri remains a hugely popular figure with Shas voters, having led the party through a successful period before being imprisoned for bribery in 2000. Shas Minister Yaacov Margi told Channel Two yesterday, “Under no circumstances will Eli [Yishai] play second fiddle to Deri.”
Meanwhile, Kadima MKs voted yesterday to cancel the party’s primaries and instead appoint a committee to choose its list of Knesset candidates. Party leader Shaul Mofaz explained that the change would produce a high-quality list and would help Kadima “concentrate our efforts against Netanyahu.”