Ten months after eight parties established a broad government, its wafer-thin parliamentary majority was snatched by the sudden resignation early Wednesday, April 6 of right-wing Yemina coalition whip Idit Silman. The government was left with 60 Knesset seats out of 120 and a shakier that ever prospect of survival. Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated Silman’s step and “welcomed her back to Likud with open arms,” echoed by opposition right-wing and religious party heads. He promised her 10th spot on the Likud Knesset list and a ministerial portfolio (health) in his next government.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, caught unawares, cancelled all his Thursday appointments for consultations.. Silman cited the “hametz” issue as the reason for her decision. She demanded the sacking of left-wing Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz for allowing government hospitals to let patients consume “hametz (leavened bread proscribed by Jewish law) as well as matzot (unleavened bread) in the coming eight-day Pesach (Passover festival), in accordance with a
