Likud goes quiet on dismissal of coronavirus committee head

Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that he was “working to prevent the dismissal of Shasha Biton."

By JEREMY SHARON
Yifat Shasha Biton (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Yifat Shasha Biton
(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Despite the threat by the Likud of the imminent and immediate dismissal of Likud MK Yifat Shasha Biton from her chairmanship of the Knesset Coronavirus Committee on Saturday night, proceedings are yet to be put in place to fire her.
After Shasha Biton again warned Saturday night that she and her committee would not rubber stamp government decisions regarding new COVID-19 restrictions, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put out a statement citing a “senior source in the Likud” saying that “the prime minister will fire Yifat Shasha Biton from her position” due to her actions.
In order to carry this out, however, the Knesset House Committee, chaired by Blue and White MK Eitan Ginzburg, needs to be convened, yet no such request has yet been made, Ginzburg’s spokesman said on Sunday afternoon.
Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Saturday night after the threat to fire Shasha Biton that he was “working to prevent the dismissal of Shasha Biton and I hope we avoid this step,” and that although he believed it right that the coronavirus committee accept the decisions of the government on COVID-19, he said the government was “obligated to respect [the committee’s] role in the Knesset.”
Sources in Blue and White said on Sunday afternoon that the party had expressed opposition to firing Shasha Biton due to the negative impact on the Knesset’s oversight prerogatives over the government.
The same source said, however, that since the committee had been allocated to the Likud, it was the Likud’s right to determine who heads it and that Blue and White would likely not oppose the Likud if it follows through with its threat to fire her.
Likud MK Miki Zohar, who serves as the coalition chair and is one of Netanyahu’s political enforcers, said it was unlikely a decision would be made by the end of Sunday.


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