Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman wants an urgent Knesset debate about the plan to invade and occupy Gaza City, a party spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.
The plan was proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and approved by the security cabinet last week.
Since the Knesset is in recess, the motion will require at least 25 MKs’ signatures. Opposition parties have agreed in principle to the request.
The debate may be held as early as next week.
Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich and his party colleague MK Zvi Sukkot on Sunday threatened to support new elections in protest against the security cabinet’s decision to occupy Gaza City.
Lapid asks Smotrich to bring down government
The three RZP ministers, Smotrich, Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer, and National Missions Minister Orit Strock, all decided not to attend Sunday’s cabinet meeting in protest against the security cabinet’s decision.
Amid these developments and apparent growing disagreements between RZP and Netanyahu, opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) asked Smotrich to bring down the government.
Lapid said the chairman of a coalition party cannot remain in the government if he does not trust the prime minister, KAN News reported in a post on X/Twitter that Lapid shared.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Sunday said it would initiate a nationwide shutdown for next Sunday to protest the security cabinet’s decision to occupy Gaza City.
Keshet Neev contributed to this report.