Blue and White’s Lapid: Israelis ‘not living in a democracy’ anymore

Talks between political factions on setting up parliamentary committees after the new Knesset was sworn in yesterday appear to break down, with the Likud and Blue and White parties blaming each other for the impasse.

“It could be that it doesn’t really interest you with all the coronavirus in the air, but as of today you’re not living in a democracy,” Blue and White No. 2 Yair Lapid writes on Facebook.

He continues: “The judicial branch was closed four days ago, with an order issued at one in the morning, without anyone knowing about it. The legislative branch was closed today illegally. The speaker of the last Knesset [Yuli Edelstein], who wasn’t chosen for his position, closed the Knesset. Before that he refused a request of a majority of Knesset members — 62 in total — to choose a new Knesset speaker.”

Lapid accuses Edelstein of refusing to choose members of numerous Knesset committees which he says could assist in fighting the coronavirus.

Likud MK Miki Zohar says it’s Blue and White that is to blame.

“Blue and White is again trying to break the rules of the Knesset. They’re behaving brutally and are disconnected from reality out of their hatred for the prime minister,” he tweets.

Zohar claim Likud offered to establish 10 Knesset committees that Blue and White refused.