Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman’s decision not to take part in the government’s vote on freezing the Kosel’s status at the beginning of the week continues to stir up a storm. Kikar Shabbos reports he did not vote along with his colleauges.

It is reported that Litzman had come to the cabinet meeting with the knowledge that the government was going to point to the cancellation of the outline – as demanded by the chareidi representatives of the prime minister sealed the deal with Aryeh Deri, that the government vote in favor of freezing the plan and not canceling it.

“Litzman was furious,” relates a source who attended the meeting. “A confrontation developed between him and Aryeh Deri, who explained that everything was due to the legal advisers and the fear of the High Court of Justice, but Litzman did not calm down and was hurt not to update him in real time.”

In the wake of the anger, Litzman chose demonstratively not to participate in the vote, even though he attended the cabinet meeting. “The ministers did not understand how the chareidi minister did not vote, they thought that there was a technical mistake, but someone who was close to the uproar understood that this was a demonstrative step,” the source said.

After the cabinet meeting ended, Litzman was afraid of breaking the rules and in order to prevent reports of the confrontation on the issue of the “outline,” he hastened to issue a congratulatory message on the government’s decision.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)