Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will refrain from declaring Yamina's MK Idit Silman a defector following her resignation, on the condition she will collaborate and vote with the coalition on a limited number of critical bills for national security, Kan reported Monday.
Silman announced on Wednesday that she will be leaving the coalition following her concern over the Jewish nature of the state that she feels is compromised by a public display of hametz, this hurtled Israel into the all-too-familiar territory: political instability, and fear of elections.
Following Silman's announcement, Prime Minister Bennett called for declaring MK Amichai Chikli a defector, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Silman from resigning.
MKs declared as defectors are forbidden from joining any faction during the current Knesset term and cannot propose a no-confidence vote or make announcements regarding non-participation in debates or votes.
Defecting MKs additionally cannot run in the next Knesset elections with any list that is represented in the current Knesset and cannot serve as a minister or deputy minister in the current Knesset. If Chikli resigns from the current Knesset completely, these two sanctions will not apply.
Bennett's Monday statement comes following the airing of an interview he gave to Channel 12, where spoke on his government's response to the wave of terrorism and the political crisis which stemmed from Silman's resignation.