Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was a partner this evening (Monday) in the move that marked the end of the Yamina party.
Bennett, a friend of Matan Kahana and Shirley Pinto, joined them in splitting from the Yamina faction, solely so that Kahana could run within the 'State Camp' party led by Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar and former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
The unusual step was taken after the coalition sabotaged MK Idit Silman's split and she retracted her agreement to approve Kahana's split from the party.
The move by the three, who make up more than a third of the Yamina faction, allows Kahana to run in an existing party for the elections for the next Knesset.
However, Idit Silman will still be forced to resign from the Knesset in order to run in the November elections in a party other than Yamina, after, at the initiative of MK Michal Rosin of Meretz, four coalition members voted against the division of Silman and even said that they "are not ready to give a reward to the person who brought about the overthrowing of the government."
Former Prime Minister Bennett has already announced that he will not run in the upcoming elections.