A leading rival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the right-wing Likud party announced his resignation from parliament Wednesday as he launches a new party to challenge the premier.
Gideon Saar, an influential figure in conservative Israeli politics, had challenged Netanyahu in a Likud leadership race in December but decisively lost the primary.
With a Netanyahu-led coalition edging towards collapse, Saar announced his break with Likud.
“I will create a new movement with the goal of replacing Netanyahu,” Saar said in a virtual press conference late Tuesday.
In a statement Wednesday, Saar announced his formal resignation from Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, freeing him to embark on his “candidacy for prime minister”.
Netanyahu’s key coalition partner, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, in a preliminary vote last week backed an opposition proposal to dissolve the Knesset.
Gantz charges that Netanyahu has acted only in his own political self-interest and placed his upcoming corruption trial above the needs of ordinary Israelis.
Under the coalition agreement, Gantz — who is also the alternate prime minister — is to take over as premier in November 2021.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, the House Committee of the Knesset on Wednesday approved the bill to dissolve the Knesset for its first vote with March 16, 2021 set as Election Day.
Last week, the Knesset approved the bill in a preliminary reading after Blue & White sided with the opposition.
Source: Agencies
