Jewish Home party leader Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkovitz, who will receive his party’s ministerial portfolio if and when the Jewish Home joins the government, will remain a Knesset Member at the same time. His fellow party members – former party leader MK Zevulun Orlev, rookie MK Uri Orbach, and former MK Nissan Slomiansky – had pressured him to resign from the Knesset, in order to make room for Slomiansky.
Slomiansky, who served in the 14th, 16th, and 17th Knessets, is considered a skilled parliamentarian who was instrumental in obtaining important financial and educational benefits for the religious-Zionist sector. He also served as Knesset faction whip for the NRP.
The new agreement is that Hershkovitz need not resign from the Knesset now, but that he will consider doing so a year from now. Sources close to him said he “gave up a lot in order to head the united religious-Zionist party. He was being considered for both President of the Technion and Chief Rabbi of Haifa. Given the political situation in this country, it is possible that Netanyahu will take his government to the left, making it impossible for the Jewish Home to remain in the government and forcing Hershkovitz out. If he is also not a Knesset Member, he will be a party leader with no influence whatsoever.”
Currently, when an MK resigns from the Knesset, there is no way for him to return unless he is elected in the subsequent national elections. Jewish Home MKs will demand that this situation be changed, insisting that the coalition guidelines include legislation of what is known as the “Norwegian Law.” It stipulates that government ministers must resign from the Knesset, but can receive their Knesset seats back if they are fired and/or quit.
It is not likely that such legislation will be welcomed by the Likud, because its 8-9 expected ministers will not want to give up their Knesset seats. Binyamin Netanyahu in particular is expected to object to this law, because of the fact that Moshe Feiglin, #36 on the party list, will be likely to enter the Knesset in place of the ministers.
The Jewish Home will ask that the Norwegian Law be applied at least to small parties.
Hershkovitz Welcomes Labor
Rabbi Prof. Hershkovitz said on Thursday that he “welcomes” the latest coalition contacts between the Likud and Labor. “I am not concerned that this will influence the right-wing bent of the coalition,” he said, adding that a broad-based coalition would be a welcome development.