Deputy minister in Israeli cabinet resigns, exposes internal division

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
28 Feb 2023 11:54
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MK Avi Maoz says he was dissatisfied with his failure to create a significant difference in his position.

Avi Maoz, head of the far-right Noam party, attends a session at the Knesset, Dec. 28, 2022 (Reuters)

Member of Knesset Avi Maoz, the far-right Noam party’s only lawmaker, submitted on Monday evening his resignation from the Israeli occupation government.

Maoz, a deputy minister in the Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, said he did not think that he would be in command of a "Jewish national identity" hierarchy, as indicated in his coalition agreement with Netanyahu's Likud party.

In a letter sent to Netanyahu, the MK pointed out that he was dissatisfied with his failure to create a significant difference in his position, underlining that he "was shocked to find there was no serious intention of honoring the coalition deal."

Maoz considered that during his brief term, he had unsuccessfully sought to reverse a number of policy issues advanced by the previous administration.

Despite his resignation from the Israeli occupation government, Maoz confirmed that he will remain part of Netanyahu's 64-MK coalition.

Yet, his departure exposed further internal divisions inside Netanyahu's government, which he created more than two months ago.

Since taking power, the Israeli occupation Prime Minister has been met with several internal challenges, along with Palestinian Resistance operations against illegal Israeli settlers and Israeli occupation forces. First, it was mass protests against a "judicial reform" legislation criticized as undermining the separation of power within "Israel".

Then, it was a Supreme Court ruling against the appointment of top Minister Aryeh Deri due to a tax evasion conviction.

Last but not least, it was a row over the demolition of an illegal settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank and far-right ministers opposing the decision.

In the past couple of weeks, several current and former Israeli officials warned of a deterioration of the situation as a result of the Israeli occupation government's decisions.

Former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Naftali Bennett considered that there is a real threat of "civil war" breaking out in "Israel".

Opposition MK Yair Lapid also indicated that "Israel is on the brink of the abyss and at a decisive moment," adding that "Israel" is "walking toward ruin if the judicial amendments law is passed."

On his part, former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon warned Netanyahu of a "violent reality", stressing that "there are no opportunities for dialogue regarding judicial amendments."

"No one in Israel knows where things are headed, as this is the first time that Israel has faced this reality in modern history," Ayalon told Israeli Channel 13.

The former attorney general and legal advisor to the Israeli government, Avichai Mandelblit, said he believes that the current security situation in the Israeli occupation entity has just started, warning that there will be "bloodshed".

Israeli occupation President Isaac Herzog had also warned that the situation in the entity is about to explode.

"We are not in a political debate any more. We are on the brink of a social and constitutional collapse. The powder keg is about to explode," Herzog said.