MK Dan Illouz announces departure from Likud, says party has been 'hijacked'

Member of Knesset Dan Illouz announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election with the Likud party, declaring in a video statement on X/Twitter that the party has been "hijacked."

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I simply cannot ask you to vote for a party that I myself can no longer bring myself to vote for. This is no longer the Likud. This is a party that has been hijacked.

"I simply cannot ask you to vote for a party that I myself can no longer bring myself to vote for," Illouz stated. "This is no longer the Likud. This is a party that has been hijacked."

Illouz cited several key reasons for his decision, including what he described as Israeli leadership's evasion of responsibility for the October 7 massacre. He also pointed to legislation supporting haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft evaders and the rising cost of living as factors contributing to his departure.

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a disgrace

He specifically decried the previous day's passing of a bill that aims to freeze arrests of haredi draft dodgers, calling it "a disgrace." This vote, Illouz said, made it clear to him that he no longer aligned with the Likud's direction. "While the IDF is warning of collapsing under the burden and my fellow reservists are sacrificing their families and their experience of fatherhood, the Likud has chosen a permanent surrender to the haredi parties," he stated.

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While the IDF is warning of collapsing under the burden and my fellow reservists are sacrificing their families and their experience of fatherhood, the Likud has chosen a permanent surrender to the haredi parties.

Furthermore, Illouz accused the party of "doing everything to avoid responsibility" for the security failures that preceded the Hamas attack on October 7. He emphasized that facing the Israeli public and asking for forgiveness is crucial, stating, "Jewish identity is, first of all, taking responsibility."

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doing everything to avoid responsibility