Minister calls for colleague in cabinet to be fired

Opposition leader endorses government’s plan

By GIL HOFFMAN
Izhar Shay, Blue and White party, 2015 (photo credit: CHEN ZIV / WIKICOMMONS)
Izhar Shay, Blue and White party, 2015
(photo credit: CHEN ZIV / WIKICOMMONS)
Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay (Blue and White) wrote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday morning, calling upon him to fire the ministerial liaison to the Knesset, David Amsalem, for criticizing law enforcement officials.
Amsalem repeatedly criticized the legal establishment in a Knesset debate on changing the authority of government ministries on Monday night. He also attacked current MK and former police investigations unit head Yoav Segelovich (Yesh Atid).
In the letter, Shay said Amsalem’s attack did not represent the views of Blue and White or Likud. Shay said Amsalem should take back his words or be fired.
Sources close to Shay said that even though Netanyahu’s office did not respond, it was still important for Shay to tell Amsalem that the Right is not alone in the government anymore and his behavior must change.
Amsalem mocked Shay on Twitter, saying that a new minister had no right to preach to him.
“I did not know that a minister of grading other ministers had been appointed,” he said.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) dared Shay to quit if Amsalem does not apologize and is not fired.  
Lapid surprisingly announced on Tuesday morning that he would support the Finance Ministry’s plan for incentives to small businesses.
“When it comes to fighting the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus, we will not take political considerations into account,” Lapid said.
The Knesset plenum voted overnight to expand the government’s economic aid plan by NIS 14 billion ($4.03b.) to cope with the corona crisis, passing the expenditure into law in its final readings.