Likud sources tell Hebrew media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to fire far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, even though he took an almost unprecedented step and voted against the state budget.
Government regulations say that a minister who votes against his own government’s budget can be viewed as having resigned. The budget must be passed by the end of March 2025 or the government will automatically fall, triggering early elections.
Ben Gvir’s fellow Otzma Yehudit party members also voted against the first reading of the budget, which nevertheless passed 59-57.
They did not resign, and the Likud sources say that Netanyahu, who fears he could lose power, “will not be in a hurry to fire them.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, whose father Tommy Lapid was fired as a minister by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for voting against the budget in 2004, says Netanyahu will not act because “he is a coward.”
“My father knew he would be fired, because a government minister is forbidden from voting against the budget, unless the prime minister is weak and a coward, then it’s okay,” Lapid writes.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 16, 2024
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
