President Shimon Peres may be counted among the critics of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for dismissing Reuven Rivlin as Knesset speaker. Rivlin is the undisputed Likud elder, representing the previous generation of idealists, the Likud of Menachem Begin that felt a bond with frum and traditional Jewry, the chareidim and Sephardim alike.
The prime minister, who did not have sufficient cabinet posts to give out to senior officials in the party opted to oust Rivlin, the party elder and former speaker and replace him with Yuli Edelstein, a Shomer Shabbos MK and resident of Gush Etzion. While no one questions Edelstein’s abilities, there is must criticism over Mr. Netanyahu telling Rivlin he would not support his bid as the Likud/Beitenu candidate for speaker.
When asked if Mr. Netanyahu offered him another position, Rivlin told the press that one cannot insult another as was done to him and then turn around and offer another position.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Big lose.
Good man with massive shoulders to support all groups of klal yisroel. The Rivlin family were early builders of Eretz Yisroel and the Yishuv Hayashen and having him as Knesset speaker gave the government a special aura.