After failing to promote his agenda, an
ultra-conservative Jewish legislator announced his resignation from Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration on Monday. He added that he would
still support the coalition in parliament.
As part of the coalition that was sworn in on
December 29, Avi Maoz, whose Noam party held one of the Knesset's 120 seats,
was given responsibility for promoting strict observance of Jewish law in the
nation.
His presence alarmed Israel's once-dominant
secular liberals, who have been organising weekly large protests against
Netanyahu's proposals to limit the Supreme Court's authority.
In a resignation letter forwarded to Israeli
media, Maoz stated, “To my shock, I learned that there is no serious purpose to
follow the coalition agreement about the administration of national Jewish
identity.”
“I will carry out my responsibilities in the
coalition as a regular Knesset member,” he continued.
A 64-seat legislative majority is held by
Netanyahu. Nevertheless, his tenacious far-right allies, National Security
Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, are showing
signs of weakness.
Both resented Netanyahu's representatives
promising to postpone any future declarations regarding Israeli settlement in
the occupied West Bank in the coming months at a security meeting with
Palestinians held by Jordan on Sunday.