Yamina Moves to Remove Silman From Committee Posts

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reportedly decided Tuesday to remove defector MK Idit Silman from her positions on the various Knesset committees.

Silman, originally a member of Bennett’s Yamina Party, resigned as coalition whip and joined the opposition last month, causing the coalition to lose its slim majority.

Hoping to gain Silman’s support on key votes, Bennett and the Yamina Party have refrained from moves against her, despite the blow to the government.

However, according to reports, the coalition informed the Knesset that it was stripping Silman of her committee posts, including chair of the Knesset Health Committee.

The coalition is expected to nominate MK Shirly Pinto, also of the Yamina Party, to lead the Health Committee to replace Silman. Last week, Pinto gave several demands to Bennett, including taking Silman’s spot as committee head.

Bennett did not inform Yamina member Nir Orbach, the party’s Knesset faction chair, of the plan to remove Silman from the posts, according to Walla! News. Orbach is the head of the Knesset House Committee, which approves the structure of the Knesset committees.

This announcement comes shortly after Bennett removed Silman from a Yamina faction meeting on Monday after she refused to commit to supporting the appointment of Matan Kahana as deputy minister or minister in the Religious Affairs Ministry.

Bennett reportedly asked his party how they intended to vote, and Silman said, “We’ll talk about it.”

Bennett replied, “Aren’t you embarrassed to come here? I don’t understand, how does this reflect your party discipline?… You’re violating the party line.”