Livni: Netanyahu negotiating future government behind backs of ministers
Any vote on nationality law must be rooted in Declaration of Independence, says justice minister.
By JPOST.COM STAFFJustice Minister Livni, Finance Minister Lapid attend weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem(photo credit: REUTERS)
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday of negotiating his political future behind the backs of his coalition partners."Governing means putting forward the shared goals of the members of government" and not preventing ministers from expressing their positions, she said, alluding perhaps to the controversy surrounding the "Jewish state bill." During a heated debate over the law last week, Livni told Netanyahu: “The elephant in the room is that you want us” – Hatnua and Yesh Atid – “to vote against this so you can fire us.”Livni has publicly stated she would not contribute to the measure – which she called anti-democratic – passing in a preliminary vote. In a TV interview however, she did not commit to voting against it, which suggests she may abstain and save her spot in the coalition.Livni told Israel Radio on Sunday that she would remain in the government so long as she "can prevent destructive decisions and unacceptable bills," which could morph the country into something different than what Israel's founders envisaged.As for the nationality law – legislation which gives legal weight to Israel’s Jewish character – she said any vote on the bill had to be rooted in the Declaration of Independence.Livni also visited the bilingual Hand in Hand school in Jerusalem – the target of a suspected arson attack – and said that as a minister of justice she would act with zero tolerance against these kind of phenomena, of hatred, in the Israeli society.
Related Tagsnationallivni
if(catID != 151){
var cont = `Take Israel home with the new Jerusalem Post Store
