It is now official. MK Moshe Sharoni is breaking off from the Pensioner’s Party to launch a new Knesset party, Justice for Pensioners.

The party, headed by Minister Rafi Eitan, surprised the nation and themselves, emerging from the national election with seven seats in the current Knesset. Things were running fairly well until a number of months ago, when Sharoni was removed from his position as party chairman and the Knesset Labor & Welfare Committee. The official reason was Sharoni’s insistence to move ahead with a bill to increase funds for retired people, a bill opposed by the government but behind the scenes, a power struggle that had been ongoing was gaining momentum.

On Monday, Sharoni told Eitan his decision is final and during the course of the coming days, he will make an official statement. To date, two additional MKs signaled they will join Sharoni and his new party, Sara Marom Shalev and Elchanan Glazer.

YWN has reported (HERE) that Sharoni has been conducting talks with billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak towards merging parties.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)