Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar commented on possible significant changes to the Likud Party following the upcoming elections, during an interview at The Jerusalem Post Leaders’ Summit on Monday.
“If Bibi has 61 seats, there will be a crazy government here. It is enough to hear the statements of [David] ‘Dudi’ Amsalem and Bezalel Smotrich during one day in order to understand what kind of government it will be,” the justice minister said.
On the other hand, if the Netanyahu bloc fails to form a government, Sa’ar thinks a door will be opened for a broad, national-unity government that does not rely on extremism
“I think that anyone who wants to have a unity government and get out of the political impasse and the great social and political polarization must not vote for anyone from the parties in the Netanyahu bloc,” he said. “There will be far-reaching changes in the Likud if Bibi does not have 61 seats. An effort should be made to prevent this nightmare scenario.”
Concern in the justice system
Sa’ar addressed the concern in the justice system of the narrow right-wing government, saying, “I don’t think you need to be a judge to be shocked by ‘mafia’ talk like what Amsalem said yesterday, who said that everyone who took part in the decision-making in the Bibi cases will go to prison. This is turning Israel into a third-world country.
“Smotrich presented a plan whose aim is to introduce a French law and change the immunity law, in short, a city of refuge in the Knesset for criminals, a paradise for criminals. This is not a reform of the justice system, it is to crush Israel,” he added.
“There is a danger of changing to a different country. This is not a change of government, but a change of regime. We are in danger of becoming a completely different country, sliding into a dictatorship. There will be one authority here that completely controls the Knesset and the election of judges, and will deprive the judiciary of its abilities. I do not think that the majority of citizens in Israel want to live like this,” Sa’ar said.
"We are in danger of becoming a completely different country, sliding into a dictatorship. There will be one authority here that completely controls the Knesset and the election of judges, and will deprive the judiciary of its abilities. I do not think that the majority of citizens in Israel want to live like this."
Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar
When asked if he would consider rejoining the Likud if Netanyahu stepped down as head of the party, he replied, “I would not join the parent party, because it does not represent the original values of the Likud movement. Imagine Menachem Begin hearing the things that Dudi Amsalem said yesterday. Do you think he would have been enthusiastic and said that it is continuing his way and his legacy?
“There is no connection between the Likud today and the original values of the Likud. I do not rule it out as a political party, and it would be possible to cooperate with it, but we will not participate in any step that would return Netanyahu to the prime ministership,” Sa’ar concluded.