Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Tuesday, April 30, 2019

URWP head said to cave on conditioning joining government on support for immunity bill

30 April 2019, 3:04 pm Edit

Union of Right-Wing Parties leader Rafi Peretz has acceded to his deputy Bezalel Smotrich’s demand that the national religious faction make support for the so-called immunity bill a condition for joining the next government, the Walla news site reports.

According to Walla, Peretz was initially wary of placing backing for the immunity law among URWP’s coalition demands, putting him at odds with Smotrich.

Smotrich has been the most vocal supporter of the immunity bill, which he says could ensure a Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led government can serve out its term even if the premier is indicted on corruption charges.

URWP is an alliance of Peretz’s Jewish Home party, Smotrich’s National Union and the extremist Otzma Yehudit that was formed ahead of national elections earlier this month.

Bezalel Smotrich (R) and Rafi Peretz (L) of the Union of Right Wing Parties hold a press conference after a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on April 16, 2019, (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

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