Will Aryeh Deri fall in line with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the gas roadmap or will he spring a surprise like he did last month?
After Netanyahu announced on Thursday that the gas agreement will pass a government vote on Sunday “with a majority”, sources in Minister of Economy Aryeh Deri’s office say that he intends to study the arrangement and has yet to decide how he will vote.
In all matters pertaining to signing off on clause 52, which allows the government to bypass the antitrust regulator, Deri stuck to his standing position that he would only consider lending his signature if the Knesset approved the agreement.
It is well known that Netanyahu wants to avoid a Knesset vote and approve the roadmap through the cabinet, then pass it using Deri’s sign off under clause 52.
As it stands, the agreement’s passage in the Knesset depends on MKs from Yisrael Beytenu and Kulanu (who are allowed to vote as they wish).
“Minister of Economy Deri is consistent and he will do exactly what he said last month,” said a statement from Deri’s office. “Minister Deri will study the roadmap agreement with the gas companies, will participate in the cabinet meeting, and in the end decide how he will vote. If and when the agreement is approved by the Knesset, Minister Deri will consider whether or not to sign off on clause 52.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 13, 2015
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