Miriam Peretz, an Israel Prize laureate and the mother of Yashar MK Elisaf Peretz, declared this week that her son would resign from the Knesset if his political party entered a government coalition with an Arab party. She made these comments during an interview with Lamshi and Gedlovitch on Kol Barama Radio, speaking at a time when negotiations for the formation of the next Israeli government are actively underway.
During the broadcast, Peretz emphasized the stakes of the upcoming political alliance. She stated that if her son's party sits with an Arab party, he will leave the Knesset. She added that under no circumstances should an Arab party be allowed to make decisions regarding whether to go into battle. Her remarks suggest a firm stance on the composition of the future cabinet.
When asked by the hosts whether her son would consider defecting from the Yashar party, Peretz indicated that external forces are at play. She noted that pressure is being exerted on the family even in these final days. She mentioned that people are writing to both her and her son and taking action in ways she did not detail in the interview, adding that these matters will eventually come to light.
These recent statements present a sharp contrast to remarks Peretz made just two days prior at her son's swearing-in ceremony. At that event, she struck a tone focused on unity and service to all Israeli citizens. She expressed her hope that Elisaf would bring a different kind of discourse to the legislative body, describing the Knesset as the house of the entire people. She envisioned it as a place for light, hope, faith, peace, love, and unity, where action is taken on behalf of all citizens.
Peretz attended the swearing-in ceremony after visiting Mount Herzl, the national cemetery. She reflected on the significance of the occasion for bereaved families, noting that while they experience moments of pain, they also have days of joy. She identified the swearing-in as such a day of joy for her family.
She further expressed her desire for her son to embody the spirit of unity found at Mount Herzl in his political work. She pointed out that the cemetery is home to immigrants from Ukraine, Moroccans, Ashkenazis, and Sephardis. She hoped that her son would similarly work with his colleagues in the Knesset on behalf of all citizens of the State of Israel.
The political context for these comments involves ongoing discussions about the potential role of Arab parties in the next government. These debates have raised questions about whether Elisaf Peretz will support such an arrangement given his party's position. He entered the Knesset on the list of Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party.
Elisaf Peretz has previously opposed serving in a government alongside non-Zionist parties. In an interview conducted before the recent elections, he clarified his opposition to forming a coalition with Arab parties. He identified the establishment of a Zionist government as a central political goal for his term.
Although the MK has expressed his own opposition to such a partnership in the past, his mother has now articulated a stronger consequence for that scenario. She explicitly stated that he would leave the Knesset if the party entered into such an arrangement. As of the time of reporting, Elisaf Peretz has not publicly responded to his mother's latest remarks.
