Meretz files appeal to Supreme Court for not disqualifying Silman

Silman entered the previous Knesset as a member of Yamina, and then announced in April that she was leaving the coalition, ending its 61-member majority.

 Yamina MK Idit Silman at the Knesset, April 25, 2022.  (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Yamina MK Idit Silman at the Knesset, April 25, 2022.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Meretz filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on Friday over the Central Election Committee's decision not to disqualify MK Idit Silman, ranked 16th in the Likud list, from upcoming Knesset elections according to ynet.

“This is an abrasive violation of the law by the Likud and by Silman. [Opposition leader Benjamin] Netanyahu continues to ignore Israel’s laws. On top of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, we can now add a breach of election laws.”

Meretz's original petition to disqualify Silman

Silman entered the previous Knesset as a member of Yamina, and then announced in April that she was leaving the coalition, ending its 61-member majority.

According to a recent Jerusalem Post report, Meretz accused Silman of leaving the coalition after receiving offers from the Likud for the next election, which is illegal according to the election laws.

“This is an abrasive violation of the law by the Likud and by Silman,” Meretz said in a statement. “[Opposition leader Benjamin] Netanyahu continues to ignore Israel’s laws. On top of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, we can now add a breach of election laws.”

 MK Idit Silman in the opening of the Knesset summer session at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on May 9, 2022.  (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
MK Idit Silman in the opening of the Knesset summer session at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on May 9, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

What else is new?

The latest petition filed by Meretz states that "Silman withdrew from her faction in a written notice, and failed to then resign from Knesset. The provision of the law and the inherent personal sanction must be enforced."

This comes days after Yitzhak Amit, chairman of the Central Election Committee, rejected the candidacy of Amichai Chikli, who is ranked 14th on the Likud list.

Eliav Breuer contributed reporting.