"I'm not the defector -- they are the ones who defected."
MK Amichai Chikli has officially been declared a defector from his party (Yamina) months after the government formed over his objections and despite his protests that in combining forces with left and extreme-left elements, party leader Naftali Bennett was betraying his voters and breaking key campaign promises.
Now Chikli has compiled a document detailing 98 promises broken by Bennett and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked (click here to view in Hebrew).
Among the items on the list:
1) Shaked promised (on Facebook Live) on March 22, 2021, that the Yamina party would be part of a "right-wing government. We have committed to that, and we will stick to it."
2) On March 14, 2021, Bennett wrote on Twitter: "In another ten days, we will establish a right-wing government that cares about Israel's citizens, not a government that cares about money and prestige."
3) On March 21, 2021, Bennett wrote on Facebook: "Bibi's spins are total lies. These are my principles for the next government: Lapid will not be prime minister - I'm a right-wing man, as are most voters; the next government will be a right-wing government - and we have 80 right-wing seats, so there are lots of options; we're going to establish a right-wing government that cares about Israeli citizens."
4) On March 19, 2021, Shaked promised on Twittter that, "Before demanding that Bennett establish a right-wing government, pledge that you're right-wing ... If you really want a genuinely right-wing government that will deal with the situation in the Negev, the Palestinian encroachment in Area C ... then vote Yamina!"