Shikli sharpens: I will vote against • Idit Silman: There is no chance that Eruk will leave Bennett

May 6, 2021   

MK Idit Silman said in a conversation with her associates that Likud and the right-wing parties have no point in putting pressure on her to prevent her from voting to form a government with Yair Lapid. Dreaming of money falling from the sky? Tomorrow at midnight the safe opens Free: How much money are you losing because you don't know what your rights are? News 12 commentator Amit Segal reported that according to Silman, "There is no chance of a split from Bennett. I support him completely." In a post she published at noon, she made it clear that she continues to support her party chairman Naftali Bennett and does not intend to oppose his moves. "I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for the flood of offers for positions and appointments that were conveyed to me through his many emissaries. Thanks, but no." She added: "I am not interested in that, but in preventing a fifth election and stopping the chaos you have led the country into. I continue with all my strength with Naftali Bennett in order to establish a good government in Israel as soon as possible. I believe in Bennett's path, in the Yamina movement, and in the ability of our wonderful people to cooperate at this time." According to a report in Kan News, the Likud and Religious Zionism are beginning efforts to continue convincing Yamina MKs to oppose the emerging government, with the next MK designated for this purpose being Nir Orbach. Orbach, who until a few months ago was the CEO of the Jewish Home, is directly connected to quite a few rabbis who oppose the establishment of such a government, and now the intention is to focus the pressure on him, in order to lead another MK to oppose the government. Yesterday, Orbach convened several of his people in order to consult and understand what steps he will take in light of the dilemma he faces. Yamina MK Amichai Shikli emphasized this morning that he will vote against a government formed with the Meretz and Joint List parties, as part of the rotation government that Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett will attempt to form in the coming days. This statement by Shikley comes after reports that he might not take any action, but now he is unequivocally announcing that he will oppose it. Later on, MK Shikley, in a post he published on his Facebook page, outlined the arguments against his decision. "I have great love for the people of Israel in all its parts and varieties (including Meretz voters). I have also chosen to act quite a bit in the last two years to strengthen the connection with the Arabs of Israel, a huge and important public that I believe we must include," he wrote. According to him, "I came to the political arena with the aim of promoting a national Zionist worldview, and what to do does not coincide with the lawsuit of IDF officers in the Hague Tribunal in the Meretz case or support for Samir Kuntar in the case of the joint. "No less important, as someone who believes with all his heart in a democratic decision, I am simply not willing to lend a hand in boycotting a million and a half right-wing voters. With great love to my friends on the left, center and right.".

Let there be no misunderstandings, I will vote against forming a government together with the Joint and Meretz parties, exactly as we promised the voters. Have a nice day.

— Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) May 6, 2021