Yesh Atid and National Unity endorse Liberman’s call to scrap upcoming Knesset recess

The Yesh Atid and National Unity parties join Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman’s initiative to cancel this spring’s Knesset recess, arguing that it is wrong to halt legislative activities during wartime.

National Unity MK Pnina Tamano-Shata informs coalition whip Ofir Katz that her party intends to support the initiative, provided that the Knesset only deal with war-related and consensus matters.

In a statement, Yesh Atid says that it has started collecting lawmakers’ signatures as part of an effort to cancel the recess, which runs from April 7 to May 19.

“Israel is at war” and “especially during these difficult days elected officials must help as much as possible in all areas of the Knesset’s work,” a letter currently being circulated among MKs by the party states. This includes “providing answers to problems coming from citizens who bring their concerns to us.”

Following both parties’ announcements, MK Oded Forer releases a statement on behalf of Yisrael Beytenu welcoming their support, declaring that “it is clear to everyone that while our soldiers are fighting on the northern and southern fronts, the Knesset cannot go into recess. This should also be clear to the coalition.”

“I expect [Prime Minister] Netanyahu will also join the Lieberman initiative and instruct the chairman of the coalition and the chairman of the Knesset committee to take action to cancel the recess immediately,” he says.

Speaking at his party’s faction meeting in the Knesset on Monday, Liberman argued that it was “unacceptable” for the Knesset to go on recess during the current national security crisis.

Taking a vacation while 134 Israelis are held hostage in Gaza, Hezbollah rockets fall on the north and the issue of ultra-Orthodox enlistment remains unresolved “is neither reasonable nor logical,” he said.