Yamina MK Idit Silman spoke about her resignation from the coalition for the first time on Thursday with Zeman Yisrael and denied that she received any promises from the Likud in exchange for leaving the coalition.

“The Likud is prepared to give me everything but there’s been no agreement,” she said. “On the other hand, the coalition is now offering me the position of Health Minister [in exchange for returning to the coalition] but I won’t agree to it.”

Silman explained that it wasn’t davka the chometz issue that caused her to resign but the entire erosion of religious and right-wing values.

“The problem wasn’t the chometz but all the other things that are important to us. The chometz was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was the entire erosion of Jewish identity. It’s in my soul. I saw it time after time. Then came the erosion of [right-wing] values – Prime Minister Bennett speaking about the ‘West Bank.'”

Silman also said that unlike various reports, she surprised everyone with her decision. “I did everything independently…I surprised everyone. On Tuesday, I got up at 2 a.m. and spoke only with a friend who’s not all connected to politics. I told myself that this is the time. I spoke with [Likud party chairman] Yariv Levin and that’s it. I surprised everyone, also Netanyahu.”

Silman met with Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Tzfas, and his Rebbetzin Tova on Thursday in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem. Silman has been in close contact with HaRav Eliyahu in recent months and the Rav played in part in convincing her to leave the coalition.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)