From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Gantz: Likud prefers probing judges to helping the unemployed
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleDefense Minister Benny Gantz, head of the Blue and White party, slams Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party for announcing it’ll back the formation of an investigative committee into judges’ alleged conflicts of interests.
“Instead of dealing with the unemployed and self-employed, Likud is requesting to investigate judges. Instead of dealing with the economic failure, they’re creating a moral failure,” Gantz writes on Twitter.
He adds: “Whoever prefers to sabotage democracy instead of dealing with saving lives is harming Israeli citizens and I won’t allow this.”
According to the Kann public broadcaster, Gantz phoned the heads of the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties in a bid to convince them to oppose the proposal, imploring them “to maintain the integrity of the coalition.”
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Blue and White’s No. 2, also hits out at Likud over the decision.
“The Likud decision to vote in favor of an investigate committee for judges in Israel is spitting on the face on Israeli democracy and the law enforcement system. For us this is a ‘white flag’ and we won’t agree to a move like this,” Ashkenazi tweets.
He adds: “If they want investigate committees right now instead of dealing with the coronavirus and working for the public, there are additional ideas.”
Ashkenazi doesn’t elaborate on what these ideas are but his comments come as Blue and White sources threaten to push for new elections if Likud goes through with the vote.
The Times of Israel Community.