Against the background of the political drama of the last day, in which the Knesset is expected to disperse tonight (Tuesday) at midnight in what will herald the start of the fourth election campaign in two years, News 13 reported that Blue and White party leaders Bnei Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi are considering retiring from political life.
Netanyahu v. Ganz in the Knesset Plenum in Debate on the Bill to Defer Budget Approval. Photo: Knesset Channel
Political commentator Raviv Drucker reported that the two are in a difficult situation in light of the events of recent days and unsuccessful attempts to compromise with the Likud. Ashkenazi’s office said in response to the report: “Ashkenazi is in blue and white.”
As you may recall, the Knesset plenum voted tonight against the bill intended to extend the date of the budget debates, and the vote means that the Knesset will dissolve at midnight tonight, and the 24th Knesset elections will be held on March 23, 2021. 49 MKs voted against the proposal against 47 who voted in favor.
The debate lasted several hours, when the presenter of the law, MK Yitzhak Pindros (Torah Judaism), spoke for a long time from the plenary podium, before the vote. Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived at the Knesset, while Blue and White Knesset members were not present, except for Knesset members Zamir, Haimovich and Shefa, who voted against. MK Michal Shir of the Likud, who is considered close to Gideon Saar, also voted against. Some Likud members shouted at her that she was “stealing seats.”
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Also, MK Yifat Shasha-Bitton, who has already announced her joining the storm, did not come to the Mishkan, as did MK Sharan Hashakel. Members of the RAAM party from the joint list were also absent from the vote.