Smotrich blocked Likud-pushed joint statement slamming High Court ruling on recusal law

By Sam Sokol 4 January 2024, 5:29 pm

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Sam 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"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during a press conference, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on April 30, 2023. (Alex Kolomoisky/Pool)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party reportedly wanted to issue a joint statement with other coalition parties slamming the High Court’s decision yesterday to postpone the implementation of a controversial law shielding the premier from the possibility of being ordered to recuse himself from office.

However, the initiative was blocked by the far-right Religious Zionism party, whose chairman Bezalel Smotrich rejected the draft that was circulated, the Walla news site reports.

Members of Netanyahu’s cabinet lashed out at the court for allegedly exceeding its authority last night, following the six-to-five ruling that said the law can’t be immediately implemented.