Internal Affairs Minister of Israel, MK Gidon Sa’ar (Likud) has announced he is temporarily leaving politics. Saar, age 47, is resigning both his ministerial and Knesset positions, effective right after the holidays.
He made the announcement at a pre-Rosh Hashana toast for 1000 Likud activists at Kfar Hamaccabiah in Ramat Gan, surprising those present, and shocking the Israeli political landscape.
Saar made a point to add that he is not resigning from the Likud party.
Saar says he wants to devote more time to his family. His wife, Geula Even, is a TV news anchor for Channel 1.
Saar’s quitting will significantly affect the balance between the parties.
Despite the breakup between the Likud and Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beitenu, the next person up to enter the Knesset on the join list is Leon Letinitzky of the Yisrael Beitenu party, a source in the Yisrael Beitenu party told JewishPress.com.
As a result, the Likud will drop to 18 seats, making it the second largest party after Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid (19).
Yisrael Beitenu will go up one, to 13 seats, putting it one seat ahead of HaBayit HaYehudi.
What this does to the election fever already in the air is anyone’s guess.
