Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon
Finance Minister Moshe KahlonYonatan Sindel, Flash 90

In a Haifa Leadership Conference Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) said, "I'm not dealing with politics right now. Unfortunately, when I was Communications Minister, Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Noni Mozes did not contact me. I was Communications Minister, I initiated a reform, I thought the State of Israel needed to lessen its dependence on the media. You need to disconnect the media from the State. There was never such an initiative previously.

"Everyone has his own lifestyle," Kahlon continued. "I don't smoke, not even Marlboro. I won't smoke cigars, because first of all it's revolting. And I only accept presents at weddings."

On Monday, Opposition Head Yitzhak Herzog (Zionist Union) said Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should resign from his post as Communications Minister, since "the recent news proves Netanyahu has personal interests invested in the Israel Hayom news paper."

Herzog also threatened to take Netanyahu to the Supreme Court if he did not resign within 48 hours.

In response, the Likud said on Monday night, "Yitzhak Herzog has some nerve demanding the dismissal of the Prime Minister from the post of Communications Minister, when his associate Eitan Cabel promoted and initiated the law to close Israel Hayom in order to gain sympathetic coverage from Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet. Herzog's partner Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) obtained an expert legal opinion funded by Yedioth Ahronoth and acknowledged speaking with Noni Mozes before promoting the Israel Hayom law before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation."

The Likud also noted the Zionist Union and other left-wing parties benefited from millions of shekels worth of foreign funding during the 2015 elections.

Netanyahu was recently accused of taking cigars and champagne as bribes. Nevertheless, Coalition Head David Bitan said even if Netanyahu is convicted, he does not have to resign.