BREAKING NEWS

Kahlon urges critics to give Liberman a chance

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon welcomed the pending addition of Yisrael Beytenu to the governing coalition on Thursday, calling on critics to judge Avigdor Liberman, slated to replace Moshe Ya'alon as defense minister, by his actions.
"Expanding the government was essential," Kahlon said, adding that the government had been working to widen the narrow 61 seat coalition since its inception.
He said that he was sorry efforts to bring the Zionist Union into the coalition had not worked out, but that from his conversations with Liberman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he was certain that Yisrael Beytenu joining the coalition would be finalized.
Addressing criticism of Liberman's pending appointment to serve as defense minister, Kahlon said, "I reject disqualifying people personally and believe thay have to be judged on their actions."
Kahlon added, however, that the government had been formed on the basis of adherence to the rule of law, and he would insist that this principle is maintained with the addition of Liberman to the coalition.