The Knesset plenum on Monday afternoon rejected no-confidence motions submitted by the factions from the opposition.
The Likud faction's proposal on the subject of "a government formed through lies and deception of the public and which has no mandate from the public" was rejected by a majority of 49 supporters against 60 opponents.
The proposal of the Shas and United Torah Judaism factions on the subject of "the government's intention to erase the Jewish identity of the state" was rejected by a majority of 50 supporters against 59 opponents.
Ze’ev Elkin, who serves as a Minister in charge of Liaison Between the Knesset and Government, said during the discussion to opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, “When people demonstrate near your official residence it is illegitimate but when you, using party money, send thugs to my house to wake up a five-year-old girl at 11:00 o’clock at night and scare her, it is legitimate. Because in your eyes what serves you will always be legitimate, and what removes you from power will always be illegitimate.”
“Mr. leader of the opposition, you have become illegitimate, but that does not make this government, the Knesset members who are the majority of this building who voted for it, and the citizens who voted for those parties illegitimate. The only sin of this government is that it is irrelevant to you personally because it did not want you. And by the way, another government could have been formed if you had only stepped aside in favor of one of the members of your party,” Elkin added.
“Mr. leader of the opposition, it is time for you to acknowledge the reality of respecting the voter decision and the Knesset decision and to understand that this time the people have decided otherwise, and that your status has changed. After 12 years as Prime Minister, you have become a legitimate opposition chairman,” he said.
Netanyahu asked to respond to Elkin and said, “The previous speaker proved the ancient rule, when you have no real argument, raise your voice. Everyone knows how much the previous speaker cares about the country and how much he cares for himself. He skips with frightening ease from party to party. The problem is not whether this government is legitimate, the problem with this government is that it is dangerous, so we will overthrow it much sooner than you think.”