Likud MK Amir Ohana on Saturday denied a report by The Times of Israel’s sister site Zaman Israel that he had lost support from party leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I didn’t ask anyone to stand by my side, I’m a big boy,” Ohana told Channel 12 News. harsh criticism during a hot by another mk party meeting on Monday.
“My relationship with Netanyahu was excellent and still is,” he said.
After entering the Knesset in 2015, Ohana quickly became one of the most loyal supporters of then-prime minister Netanyahu. He vigorously defended the party leader against various corruption charges leveled against him and was awarded several senior ministerial posts despite his relatively low ranking in the Likud list.
But as Zaman Israel reported on Thursday, Ohana’s time in Netanyahu’s inner circle is drawing near. During Monday’s meeting, MK David Bitten reprimanded fellow faction members for failing to appear for key Knesset votes.
When Ohana requested permission to speak, Bitton cut him off and reprimanded the former minister for being among those who have recently disappeared from the plenum, including in a bid to expand access to medical marijuana. Including a vote on a coalition proposal for – that the opposition tried to shoot down and lost.
Likud MK David Bitton at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 6, 2021. (Yontan Sindel/Flash90)
“Well, who are you?” Zaman Israel cited Bitan as shouting at Ohana. “Who are you here to decide? You ran after Netanyahu and he gave you [some senior] positions, so now you [think you get to] settle things here? for some extra votes in [Likud] Primary, you decided not to come for the vote?”
Ohana reportedly sat speechless in shock and looked at Netanyahu, apparently hoping party leaders would support him. But according to the report the Speaker of the Opposition remained silent. It said Netanyahu is angry with Ohana for failing to condemn MK Yuli Edelstein when the latter announced He will challenge Netanyahu for Likud leadership earlier this month.
“I will support [Netanyahu] If the primaries really take place, as I believe MK Edelstein wants, because I think he is the best fit for the leader of the party,” Ohana told Channel 12 on Saturday.
In the past, Ohana has strongly condemned those in the party who wanted to challenge Netanyahu. But after Edelstein’s announcement he was silent, only backbencher MK Shlomo Karahi spoke out against Edelstein, a former health minister and Knesset speaker.
Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and then-Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, are seen during a visit to the COVID-19 Vaccination Center in Zarzir, northern Israel, February 9, 2021. (David Cohen / Flash 90)
Netanyahu’s aides took note of Ohana’s silence and highlighted the former minister’s “failures” by sending several messages in Likud WhatsApp groups, in addition to claiming he is seeking to join forces with Edelstein and Nir Barkat – Another Likud MK is seen as one. Potential party leader and challenger to Netanyahu.
The attacks on Ohana reached a climax on Monday at a meeting of the Likud faction, where a more intense attack by Bitan would not have happened without Netanyahu’s permission, Zaman Israel reported.
“I won’t give up until you’re approved,” Bitan yelled at Ohana. Zaman told that those who saw Netanyahu saw him smiling.
Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Public Security Minister Amir Ohana in Tel Aviv on December 1, 2020. (Miriam Ulster / Flash 90)
According to Channel 12, however, the reason behind Netanyahu’s alleged decision to turn on Ohana had less to do with his failure to condemn Edelstein and more to do with an internal survey among Likud supporters, indicating that the former public The security minister is really gaining popularity. .
The poll asked respondents to rank MK in addition to Netanyahu for Likud’s next Knesset list. At the top was former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, whom Netanyahu has indicated he considers as a possible successor. In second place was Ohana, followed by MK David Amslem, Yariv Levin and Galit Distel Atbarian.
“I don’t regret the election results,” Ohana told Channel 12. According to the network, no one has claimed public responsibility for the internal election or for leaking it to the media.
