Sa’ar: Coalition’s Existence Depends on this Bill

By Yisrael Price

YERUSHALAYIM – Warnings of the demise of the Bennett-Lapid coalition usually come from the opposition, but on Tuesday, it was Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar who said its future is in imminent danger.

Sa’ar told Kan news on Tuesday morning that it all depends on whether they can pass a  bill to renew emergency regulations in Yehuda and Shomron. “It will determine whether the coalition will exist or not,” Sa’ar said.

Originally enacted in the aftermath of the Six Day War, the law remains an “emergency measure” that must be renewed every five years. Last passed in 2017, it is set to expire at the end of June. Otherwise, Israelis living in the region will be subject to military law, rather than civilian law, and would mean the loss of certain legal protections.

Coalition members Ra’am and Meretz were reportedly against the measure, and opposition parties declared this week that they will vote against any and all coalition bills with the explicit aim of bringing down the government.

“The game being played by the opposition is not only unprecedented but dangerous,” Sa’ar said. “The government has an obligation to pass routine legal arrangements like this bill. I made that clear to the heads of the parties. A coalition MK who opposes the bill is saying ‘I don’t want this government to continue.'”

In response to Sa’ar’s interview, Ra’am MK Walid Taha tweeted: “We are ready…”

The bill was pulled on Monday, when coalition leaders realized they lacked a majority for passage.

In a bid to overcome Ra’am’s resistance, a deal was being sought that promised Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked will approve appointments of 35 new imams, if the Islamist party supports the bill, The Jerusalem Post said.