Likud ministers Avi Dichter and Nir Barkat, along with the other ministers of the state camp, are likely to oppose the budget law, which will be put to a first reading vote in the plenum this coming Wednesday. The threats are already well heard, as are demands for last-minute changes in a huge budget that is intended mainly to support the war but also includes, despite the criticism, coalition funds.
In normal times, a minister who votes against a decision passed by the government is supposed to resign or the prime minister can dismiss him, in the name of the principle of "shared responsibility."
Prof. Ofer Kenig of the Israel Democracy Institute writes, referring to the Basic Law of the Knesset (attached later in the article), which over the years has become a practice: "Members of the government may express their opinions and even vote against a proposal or policy raised by the prime minister in the framework of the cabinet plenum. But once the government has made a decision, they must align themselves with it. In other words, if a certain decision is passed by a majority in the cabinet plenum and is sent to a vote in the Knesset, then the ministers, even those who opposed it, must support it. If they feel that their conscience does not allow them to stand behind the decision, they should resign. If they don't, the prime minister is expected to fire them."
Basic Law of the Knesset that has become a practice, photo: screenshot
But practice is separate and wartime is separate. Netanyahu's circle shows no intention of escalating an already tense situation within the government during a war, and it sounds like Netanyahu will not risk stirring up unrest on the ground by firing the opposing ministers in wartime.
Thus, in fact, the only thing the coalition will ensure is a relative majority that will pass the law, and the ministers who oppose it will not be held accountable at this time. Thus, Dichter and Barkat, despite the discipline required for ministers and certainly ministers in the ruling party for government decisions, can stick to their opposition (despite the fact that the law will pass anyway) and keep their seats.
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