Opposition Leader Criticizes Job Allocation Deal in Knesset Debate
Strong Condemnation of Political Deal
In a heated debate in the Knesset on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid labeled a political deal regarding the allocation of jobs to associates within the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) and national institutions as “corrupt, flawed, inefficient, and unnecessary.” This assertion comes in the wake of accusations against the Netanyahu family regarding the attempted appointment of Yair Netanyahu to a senior position in the World Zionist Organization.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
During the discussion surrounding the proposed legislation to nationalize KKL, Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party, articulated that the recent agreements involved various factions in the coalition and opposition. He noted, “Over the years, there have been people within these organizations who have prevented corruption, but that has been just a drop in the bucket.” He further recounted that they were approached with the proposition to sign the agreement in exchange for securing jobs within the institutions.
Directing his remarks at Knesset member Miki Zohar, Lapid exclaimed, “You were astonished that we did not agree to the deal within the national institutions,” to which Zohar replied, “I admit!” Lapid responded, “We were more surprised to find that we were the only starts who did not agree.”
Demands for Disclosure of the Agreement
Lapid insisted that all political entities which have signed the new agreement are now effectively collaborators with Shas, Smotrich’s faction, and Zohar, contradicting their claims of opposition. He urged the government to publish the full details of the agreement, stating, “What are you hiding? Let’s have complete transparency. Stop concealing it; make the entirety of the deal public.”
Wrapping up his remarks, Lapid called on the Knesset to support the proposed law for the nationalization of KKL, highlighting the importance of public scrutiny regarding who supports or opposes the initiative.
Context of the Legislation
The proposed legislation was introduced against the backdrop of what Yesh Atid describes as a “corrupt agreement” that implicates all parties allied in the liberal bloc, which includes the ruling coalition. The party indicated that Lapid had committed to introducing this legislation following their withdrawal from national institutions.
Lapid also criticized fellow opposition members for their continued participation in what he terms the “corrupt deal” within national institutions. He remarked, “It is astonishing that opposition parties are still partners in this disgraceful agreement. It represents corruption of the worst kind. Yesh Atid will not partake in this corrupt job distribution and will work towards nationalizing KKL and shutting down national institutions. I hope all parties will come to the Knesset tomorrow and vote for this law.”