Bennett Kahane and Pinto split from Yianni, Silman must resign to run again

August 15, 2022   

The Knesset committee voted on Monday afternoon against the split request of MK Idit Silman from the Yamina faction. Although the request to split was in agreement with Yamina, the coalition mobilized to take revenge on the former coalition chair - and rejected the request, which fell by a majority of four to three. Silman requested to split into a single faction to be called 'Faith'. MKs Boaz Toporovsky, Yulia Malinovsky, Kinley Tor-Paz and Emily Moati voted against Silman's request. MK Yulia Malinovsky argued in the committee: "Silman wants to split? She should resign from the Knesset." The other MKs explained: "There is a limit to every trick. Silman was not given a reward." Following the decision, Silman will have to resign from the Knesset so that she will have the option of running for an existing party - Likud or Religious Zionism - in the upcoming elections. Silman is expected to petition the High Court of Justice against the decision. On the other hand, Naftali Bennett was a partner tonight in the move that marked the end of the Yamina party: Bennett, a friend of Matan Kahane and Shirley Pinto, and the three split from the Yamina faction - just so that Kahane could run within the framework of the 'State Camp' party. The step was taken after the coalition torpedoed Silman's split, and she withdrew her agreement to approve Kahane's split.

The division of the three, who constitute more than a third of the Yamina faction, allows Kahane to run in an existing party for the next Knesset, independent of anyone and without being forced to resign from the Knesset.

MK Yulia Malinovsky did not hide her satisfaction with the vote against Silman: "MK Silman prioritized her personal interests over the interests of the citizens of Israel and dragged us into unnecessary elections that paralyze an entire country. Today she paid the price - every Shabbat has a Shabbat night. She has an option, if she wants to run in the elections for another party, she can honor herself and resign from the Knesset.".