MK Tzvika Foghel (Otzma Yehudit), chairman of the Knesset National Security Committee, commented on Friday on the tensions between his party and the Likud, telling Channel 12 News that Otzma Yehudit has no intentions of backing down.
"We have nothing to do in the current government if we do not succeed in influencing its policies," said Foghel.”
"We are going all the way, I say that all the time. We came to the government in order to allow the residents of the State of Israel personal security, sovereignty and national honor.In recent days we have been returning the bodies of terrorists and not returning our captives, we are unable to do anything," he continued.
The comments come after the Otzma Yehudit Party announced it had decided not to take part in Knesset votes scheduled in protest of what it deemed the government's "weak response" to a spate of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Otzma Yehudit blasted Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, after he ordered the return of the bodies of three terrorists to the Palestinian Authority.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who heads Otzma Yehudit, said, "This government is a right-wing government and the public did not give us a mandate to return the bodies of terrorists or to refrain from bombing Gaza. It is not too late to lead a powerful and offensive security policy. Otzma Yehudit will continue to be absent from votes until the Israeli government changes direction and begins to uphold the policy for which it was elected."
Foghel told Channel 12 News in Friday’s interview, "We are drawing the red line today - if we fail to influence the policies of the current government and to express our ideology and keep the promises we made - we have nothing to do there. As of this moment we have decided not to take part in votes, it is not an easy decision. Do you remember what happened to the previous government with 59-61 MKs? Netanyahu understands this."
"I am not arguing with the Prime Minister about trivial matters, I am arguing with him about essence, about policy and ideology. I assume he is smart enough and experienced enough. We met quite a few times in the last month with all the faction members and formulated what needs to be fixed. The Prime Minister can also stop for a moment and say to himself and to the coalition that it may be necessary to change direction and hear what our faction in general, and Ben Gvir in particular, have to say."
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)