From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
MKs vote to take six-week vacation, drawing protests from hostage families
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Despite ongoing hostilities in Gaza and along the northern border, lawmakers have approved an annual spring recess for the Knesset from April 7 until May 19.
Families of the hostages holding pictures of their kidnapped relatives chant “shame” in protest as the Knesset House Committee votes 8-3 in support of the recess.
“Soldiers don’t have a recess. Hostages don’t have a recess,” declares Hen Avigdori, whose wife and son were released from Hamas captivity in November.
“You represent us and the most important thing for you right now is your recess,” he charges, promising to keep an eye on the activities of every lawmaker who votes yes.
During the recess, Knesset committees will be allowed to meet four times while the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will have no limitations placed on its activities.
Following a proposal by National Unity MK Pnina Tamano-Shata — who protested the fact that the Knesset plenum will not be able to pass war-related legislation during the break — committees will be allowed to hold two additional meetings on issues relating to oversight of the war.
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman protests the decision to take a break during a time of national crisis, calling out the “disconnected elected officials who do not deserve to lead the people of Israel.”
Yisrael Beytenu, Labor, Yesh Atid and National Unity have all pushed for lawmakers to be able to continue legislative activities over the break.
The Times of Israel Community.