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WORLD NEWS Thursday 24 december 2020

Netanyahu confidant bolts party in blow to re-election hopes

By JOSEF FEDERMAN of turning the Likud into a
JERUSALEM (AP) — A long- "personality cult."
time confidant of Prime Israel plunged into its fourth
Minister Benjamin Netan- election campaign in just
yahu announced Wednes- two years Wednesday after
day that he is quitting the Netanyahu and his main
ruling Likud party and join- coalition partner, Benny
ing an upstart political rival, Gantz, failed to meet a
accusing the Israeli leader midnight deadline to pass
of plunging the country into a budget. Gantz, who
an unnecessary election formed the coalition with
campaign in hopes of es- Netanyahu last May after
caping corruption charges. three inconclusive elec-
With his resignation, Zeev tions, accused Netanyahu
Elkin became the highest- of forcing the March 23
profile name to join a bur- election in hopes of secur-
geoning rebellion in the ing a friendlier parliament
Likud against Netanyahu. prepared to grant him im-
The insurrection has al- munity from prosecution or
ready begun to reshape dismiss the criminal charges
Israel's political map and altogether.
put the political survival of "That day, my faith in you
the long-ruling Netanyahu cracked," he said. "That
in question. In this Sunday, May 26, 2013, file photo, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin listens during an crack has turned into a
In a departure from previ- interview with The Associated Press, in Jerusalem. break recently and espe-
ous campaigns, Netan- Associated Press cially in recent weeks." q
yahu's leading challengers
share his hard-line ideol- incoming Biden administra- siderations and the whims
ogy, which opposes Pales- tion to renew peace talks. of his inner circle are play-
tinian independence and In a blistering speech on ing a central role in the
favors West Bank settle- national television, Elkin ac- decision making process,"
ment construction. Instead, cused Netanyahu of "de- Elkin said.
their opposition is deeply stroying the Likud" for per- He announced that he was
personal — meaning that sonal interests. joining the new party of
Israel's next government will "Unfortunately the past Gideon Saar, another long-
almost certainly be from two years, and especially time Likud figure who quit
the nationalist right wing, recently, I feel more and the party this month. Saar
complicating hopes by the more that his personal con- has accused Netanyahu