Michael Shemesh Praises MK Elisaf Peretz's Pledge

Political correspondent Michael Shemesh on Thursday evening praised MK Eliasaf Peretz of the Yashar! party, saying he is so far the only Knesset member to commit to resigning if he is forced to break an election promise.

Peretz, a lawmaker from Gadi Eisenkot's party, has faced criticism since his mother, Miriam Peretz, said that "if a government is formed with the Arabs, Elisaf will leave the Knesset."

"Apropos the harsh criticism of Elisaf Peretz. So far he is the only MK who is committing to resign from his position if he is forced to break one of the promises he gave the voter," he wrote.

The pledge Shemesh referred to was voiced by Miriam Peretz rather than by the lawmaker himself.

In an interview with Kol Barama radio, Miriam explained, "The pressure has been applied from the first day," she said. "Certainly in these days, very, very great pressure. I can't go into any details, but I can say that people are writing both to me and to him, and acting in all kinds of ways. I want to keep these things to myself. One day they will come out."

"If difficult fundamental questions arise that clash with his values, I believe my son Elisaf knows well what the path of our people is," she said. "He grew up on the values of this path, and I am sure of it, because he doesn't represent only himself. He also represents our family."

She said her objection was to bringing Arab parties into the government itself, not to relying on their support from outside the coalition. "In previous governments too, including that of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, they relied on Arabs from the outside on laws like National Insurance and so on. I'm talking about something else," she said. "I'm talking about sitting in a government with an Arab party that will decide for me whether to defend this home, whether to go into battle, whether to give IDF soldiers what they need. It will never happen."