Minister Eli Cohen
Minister Eli CohenDudi Vaknin

Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen (Likud) on Tuesday said that MK Yifat Shasha-Biton should resign from the Knesset now that she has joined Gideon Sa’ar’s new party.

Speaking in an interview on Radio 103FM, Cohen said that he was not surprised by Shasha-Biton’s decision to leave the Likud.

"It was obvious. The only question was where would she join," he said, adding that the right thing for her to do now would be to resign from the Knesset. "In the end, she was elected to the Knesset thanks to the votes the Likud got. Moreover, there was an explicit commitment made by her in exchange for her inclusion in the Likud slate that she would remain part of the faction."

Commenting on Sa’ar’s promise that he would not be a part of a coalition led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Cohen said that "this is a mistake. In fact, it is a disrespect for the results of democracy as well. On the one hand, they want to say that they are on the right, but on the other hand, they want to exclude Netanyahu. So who exactly will they sit with? Yair Lapid?”

Minister Cohen also commented on the Likud's opposition to the law to dissolve the Knesset, and said that "the right and responsible thing to do at the moment is to first approve a budget for the State of Israel. We are proposing to approve the 2020 budget and the 2021 budget in the government. By the way, we are not at all afraid of elections, and if we go to elections, I have no doubt we will win. I would first of all approve the budget, and later I would set an agreed upon date to go to elections."

Why did the Prime Minister not honor the agreements he signed?

"I can give you many examples where Blue and White violated the agreements, both on the issue of appointments, as well as on the issue of legislation. Gantz does not really have control over his party. As far as Blue and White is concerned, going to elections now is political suicide. I would suggest he stay with the handful who are loyal to him, and for his own good to remain as Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister and continue in the government."

Is there any talk of compromise?

"I believe that there are talks, and the reasons that the cabinet meetings are being postponed is to see if an outline can be found that will allow the government to continue."