Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana on Friday informed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett he was resigning from the role to serve in the government as a lawmaker instead. In a statement, Kahana said he would "assist in bolstering the coalition."
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The decision, which saw Kahana take on the role of deputy religious services minister, went into effect Sunday. Bennett will serve as religious services minister until a majority is found to restore Kahana to the role. Kahana's resignation will require Yamina MK Yomtob Kalfon, who party members had believed would be the next to resign from the coalition, to resign from the Knesset.
Earlier Friday, Kalfon wrote in a post on social media that as a lawmaker brought into the Knesset under the Norwegian law, which allows ministers to resign their seats to free up spots for new lawmakers, "The coalition's composition or the Knesset's dissolution is not dependent on my vote despite what some are trying to say. This is an opportunity to thank all those who supported me this week, who defended me and did not fall for the false propaganda. I work for the people of Israel for many years and I will continue to do so, God willing. Shabbat Shalom to all."
Likud Chairman MK Yariv Levin said: "The disintegration of the Yamina party and the government has today become mass desertion. To [top Bennett aide] Shimrit Meir's resignation we can now add Matan Kahana's startled return to the Knesset out of concerns another lawmaker might leave. The government has reached the end of the road. Israel cannot be held in the hands of [Ra'am MK] Walid Taha, who calls the IDF a 'cruel occupier.'"
"I call once again on lawmakers elected with right-wing votes: Put an end to this contempt. Get out of the government, and we will establish a right-wing government that stops the terrorism and the Arab nationalist rampage in Lod and in the Negev," Levin said.
Bennett political advisor Meir also announced her resignation on Friday. She will step down from the role effective June 1.
Likewise, media consultant Oved Farell, who was appointed Yamina party spokesman three months ago, informed senior party officials of his plans to resign Thursday.
Meir's ties to Bennett were said to have come at the expense of that of veteran party members. Party members further claimed Bennett had become enamored with his role as diplomat that saw him mediate talks between Russia and Ukraine following the former's invasion of the Eastern European state. It was this, they allege, that led the prime minister to neglect his coalition and party and ultimately led to Yamina MK Idit Salman's resignation from the coalition.
Religious Zionism Party Simcha Rotman told Israel Hayom: "The wave of departures around Naftali Bennett, who within a month lost the coalition chairman, the party spokesman, and the senior political adviser, is evidence of something being seriously wrong with the way in which the most important bureau in the country operates. These are signs of disintegration. The death throes of the Bennett-[Ra'am leader Mansour] Abbas government are a threat to the state and I hope very soon we will find responsible lawmakers from the coalition who will put an end to this shameful saga."
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