The Likud party is holding elections for the position of the chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday, party chairman Ofir Katz announced to party members early Monday afternoon.

The announcement came after Likud members placed heavy pressure on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to oust Edelstein from his position in the wake of the coalition crisis caused by his changes to the Chareidi draft law, Ynet reported.

Likud MK Chanoch Milvitzky, who last week spoke in defense of the Chareidi community, submitted his candidacy on Monday afternoon to replace Edelstein. Shortly later, Likud MK Nissim Vaturi also submitted his candidacy.

According to the report, in light of the statements against Edelstein by Likud members in recent days who called for his ouster, it is believed that Milvitzky will win a majority in a vote to replace Edelstein. In order to replace a sitting committee chairman, the candidate must be approved by the party, and a vote is then held by the committee.

In recent days, many Likud members have spoken out against Edelstein, stressing that he is acting out of ulterior motives and must be removed from his position.

Last week, Likud Minister Miri Regev slammed Edelstein in an interview with Ynet: “In the end, the draft law will pass. Everyone understands that there needs to be a draft law. Even the Chareidim understand that…they reached agreements with Edelstein before the attack in Iran, and he did not stand by the agreed framework. He decided to harden his positions and add all sorts of aspects that were not coordinated beforehand.”

She added: “The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee understands the security challenges facing the State of Israel, but Edelstein has ulterior motives that cause him not to want to pass the draft law. In my opinion, it is solely due to ulterior motives.”

Culture Minister Miki Zohar said on Galey Yisrael that Edelstein “must pass a draft law, adding that “agreements were reached with him, and if he doesn’t carry through, there will be no choice but to replace him. We have two more days left in the session, and if he doesn’t do it, we will need to begin the next Knesset session with a new committee chairman.”

It should be noted that the Chareidi parties clarified on Monday that replacing Edelstein will not bring them back to the government. “Even establishing another committee or a bypass track around Edelstein will not bring us back. We will return if there is a draft law ready for a vote and nothing else,” they emphasized.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)