The first full day of the Knesset summer session included sharp exchanges between MKs and family members of hostages, as well as political bickering and a rare cross-the-aisle statement.
On Monday morning, family members of hostages spoke at the beginning of a Knesset Constitution Committee meeting. Gil Dikman, cousin of Carmel Gat, who is in captivity in Gaza, criticized the government and coalition for its silence after family members of hostages were assaulted by right-wing activists during a protest on Saturday night. Later in the meeting, a sharp exchange occurred between other family members and Likud MK Tally Gotliv. Einav Tzangauker, whose son Matan is in captivity in Gaza, criticized Gotliv for not apologizing after calling hostage family members “Kaplanists and anarchists.” Gotliv responded by accusing the families of “ruining the country.”
Politicians call on Gantz to quit government
Later on Monday, a number of party leaders gave statements to the media and fielded questions ahead of their weekly party meetings. Opposition leader and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid in his statement called on National Unity chairman Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Gantz to quit the government.
Gantz on Saturday evening gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum that he will leave the government by June 8 if a comprehensive plan for the “day after” in Gaza is not approved. The Prime Minister’s Office responded on Saturday evening by criticizing Gantz. Lapid in his statement on Monday said that this proved that the prime minister was uninterested in Gantz’s proposal – and that the time to quit the government is now.
Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman also called on Gantz to leave the government. He criticized what he believed to be a halting management of the war and said that there needed to be a “governing alternative” to rule Israel.
The Likud held a closed-door meeting. According to a source, MKs in the Likud attacked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for publicly criticizing Netanyahu last week. Gallant on Wednesday said in a press conference that Netanyahu was blocking essential strategic decisions due to political concerns. According to the source, one MK called Gallant’s management of the war a “colossal failure,” and at least two others interrupted him while he was speaking to criticize him. The source added that Gallant stated in the meeting that the “Likud is my home,” indicating that in the event of an election, he would continue in the Likud and not search for a political home elsewhere.
The Knesset plenum session began at 4 p.m. with three no-confidence motions, by Yesh Atid, Labor, and Hadash-Ta’al. These were presented by MK Meir Cohen, MK Naama Lazimi, and MK Ahmad Tibi, respectively. The three MKs criticized the government’s treatment of evacuees in the North and South; the worsening situation of the economy and international relations; the failure to bring home the hostages; the government’s decision to raze a Bedouin village in southern Israel over construction infractions despite ongoing attempts to reach a compromise on the issue; and other claims. The motions did not receive the required 61 votes and were rejected.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana announced later during the plenum session that an unusually large majority of 106 members of Knesset from the coalition and opposition had signed a statement condemning the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s decision to pursue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Gallant.