Ultra-conservative Israeli minister resigns, support Netanyahu in legislature
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Raven Ruma
- . February 28, 2023
- . Update: February 28, 2023 8:48 pm
After failing to promote his agenda, an ultra-conservative Jewish legislator announced his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration on Monday. He added that he would still support the coalition in parliament.
As part of the coalition that was sworn in on December 29, Avi Maoz, whose Noam party held one of the Knesset’s 120 seats, was given responsibility for promoting strict observance of Jewish law in the nation.
His presence alarmed Israel’s once-dominant secular liberals, who have been organising weekly large protests against Netanyahu’s proposals to limit the Supreme Court’s authority.
In a resignation letter forwarded to Israeli media, Maoz stated, “To my shock, I learned that there is no serious purpose to follow the coalition agreement about the administration of national Jewish identity.” “I will carry out my responsibilities in the coalition as a regular Knesset member,” he continued.
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A 64-seat legislative majority is held by Netanyahu. Nevertheless, his tenacious far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, are showing signs of weakness.
Both resented Netanyahu’s representatives promising to postpone any future declarations regarding Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank in the coming months at a security meeting with Palestinians held by Jordan on Sunday.
