Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not fire Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu announced Monday evening after the two held a meeting.
Earlier Monday, Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu had been holding consultations about whether or not to fire Smotrich, who also heads the National Union faction in the United Right, over harsh criticism that Smotrich levelled at Netanyahu on Sunday.
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Smotrich called Netanyahu "weak" after the latter decided to cancel an event for the haredi sector in Afula, which was scheduled to be held with completely separate seating for men and women.
A few Likud officials told Israel Hayom that "Smotrich went too far."
"True, we're in an election, and everyone has to sharpen their message to their voters, but Smotrich went too far. There is a way to speak about the prime minister, even in a situation like this," the officials said.
On Twitter, Smotrich said, "This is a stupid legal system. I'm sorry, but despite my status, I can't find a gentler world. Progressive, fundamentalist, stupidity … the prime minister is weak. 100% of this nonsense is happening on his watch. Zero leadership. Zero governance. Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber [who has publicly backed a High Court ruling against gender-based separation at public events] is the real prime minister."
Smotrich went on to tweet that he urged the leaders of the nation's religious and haredi parties to "inform the prime minister, today, that they will make joining any future government under him conditional on making the necessary changes to the law to stop the 'secular coercion' and allow the religious public to live according to its beliefs."
Approximately an hour later, Smotrich tweeted again, somewhat softening his tone toward Netanyahu.
"I realize that there are some who were offended by the tweet on behalf of the prime minister. I'm one of those who never stops praising his diplomatic capabilities. But he can't be given credit for what is good here and exempted from responsibility for what is bad. For 10 years he has allowed the court system to destroy our wonderful country," Smotrich tweeted.
