As the left-wing and centrists parties vie for votes, aware of the many voters who are still undecided, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid launched Tuesday’s 4 Shevat 5773 round of declarations to the media.

Lapid has spent recent days focusing on economic issues, blaming the “settlers” for taking the educational funds from the middle class. He announced “I will not enter a coalition government as a minister-without- portfolio under any circumstance. I reject the concept which must be eliminated for it is an insult to voters and citizens.”

Lapid refers to the ministers who receive cabinet posts simply to satisfy coalition needs. Once all the cabinet posts are assigned, should the prime minister wish to bring in additional parties to strengthen his coalition, what remains is a minister-without-portfolio post, simply giving one the status of a cabinet minister and voting rights in the government, but said person does not have ministerial responsibilities. What was done in this coalition was the establishment of new position, such as the post created for Moshe Ya’alon, Minister of Strategic Affairs.

Lapid’s announcement was not praised by colleagues but ridiculed as The Movement leader Tzipi Livni lamented that at such a critical time, days before the elections, Lapid concerns himself with what position he will or will not accept.

Not to be outdone, Labor Party leader Shelly Yacimovich added “Wow, what a statement. I won’t enter the government as a giraffe! What a profound statement”, simply saying that anyone who has values would not accept such a post for this should be a given.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)