The Yamina party held a meeting on Monday afternoon to discuss, among other things, voting to reinstate Matana Kahana as religious affairs minister. Kahana resigned from the cabinet on Friday in order to oust MK Yom Tov Kalfon, who was considered a likely defector, and must be approved via a Knesset vote in order to be reappointed as both a minister and an MK.

Although Silman’s resignation from the coalition last month most likely will lead to its dissolution, the members of the coalition are treating her with kid gloves, hoping that she will support them from outside the coalition, and she is still invited to party meetings. And Silman has a vested interest in maintaining good relations with the coalition so she won’t be declared a defector, preventing her from running with another party in the next election.

However, when Silman refused to commit to supporting Kahana’s reappointment as religious affairs minister, Bennett exploded and threw her out of the meeting.

“You’re not ashamed to come here!?” Bennett said.

Coalition sources conveyed a message to Silman through a third party that if she doesn’t vote for Kahana’s reappointment, she will be removed from her position as head of the Knesset’s Health Committee.

Earlier on Monday, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened that if Silman doesn’t support the passing of the budget, she will be declared a defector or be removed from her position as head of the Knesset’s Health Committee.

Since Silman resigned from the coalition due to its advancement of legislation harming the religious status quo – spearheaded by Kahana – it is not surprising that she would be reluctant to support his reappointment.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)