No-confidence votes filed against new government

The first two no-confidence votes against the new government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett were filed on Wednesday.

The Likud wrote in its no-confidence motion that “the government was formed with lies and tricking the public, and has no mandate from the public.” The motion was filed by Likud faction chairman Miki Zohar and will be presented on Monday by MK Ofir Akunis.

A separate no-confidence motion, filed by Shas and United Torah Judaism, relates to matters of religion and state.

“For the first time in the history of Israel, a government was founded that sees Judaism as an obstacle, as superfluous and redundant weight that needs to be removed,” it said.

Zohar announced that there would be no pairing off of coalition and opposition MKs that enables MKs to miss votes in the Knesset.

“If you treat us disrespectfully, we will treat you disrespectfully,” Zohar told coalition MKs at a meeting of the Knesset Arrangements Committee on Wednesday.

The opposition also did not help the coalition pass the extension of an ordinance preventing family reunification of Palestinians and Israeli-Arabs.

The coalition needed right-wing opposition MKs because Ra’am (United Arab List) does not support the ordinance. But the Likud responded it would help only if the coalition would authorize outposts in return.