Pensioners' split approved, but 'rebels' only granted faction status

By REBECCA ANNA STOIL
The Knesset House Committee on Monday approved the breakup of the Gil pensioners' party, but did not, however, allow the three MKs to form a party of their own. Rather, the committee granted them only the right to form their own faction. According to the decision, which was delivered after the MKs twice amended their breakaway request, the new faction can't receive any funding, staff or other allocations that a party is entitled to. The three MKs, Moshe Sharoni, Elhanan Glazer and Sarah Marom-Shalev, have disassociated their new faction from billionaire Arkady Gaydamak. The connection with the Russian tycoon was behind the Committee's original decision to nix the split. The new faction, which will be called "Justice for the Senior," can work to form a party, a process which could take months.