MK Shelly Yachimovich
MK Shelly YachimovichIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Labor head MK Shelly Yachimovich, who has been named chairperson of the opposition, promised that the opposition would be “tough but fair. We will be an opposition that will not give rest to the government and will not allow them to hurt those who voted for us, and for them,” she said.

With that, she said, the opposition will be “fair, respectful, issue oriented, patriotic, and one that will not fail to stand by the government and support it for all issues handled in a just and fair manner.” That included any deal Netanyahu cobbles out with the Palestinian Authority. If, she said, Netanyahu is able to reach such a deal and finds himself unable to pass it due to opposition in his government, he could count on Labor – and most of the opposition – to support it, she said.

Yachimovich was speaking during the first session of the Knesset under the new government. The Knesset will vote to approve the government later today.

Turning to her attention to the economy, Yachimovich slammed the “fat, satisfied, and wealthy leadership, that perhaps is physically 'one of the people,' but does not understand those people. You four - Netanyahu, Lapid, Bennett, and Livni,” Yachimovich said, referring to the heads of the parties in the coalition, “come from connected families, and have never had to fight for your economic survival. Let us tell the truth here, you are all capitalists.”