i24 News – Israeli lawmaker Michal Shir announced today that she was leaving Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s right-wing New Hope party, joining Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid.
This comes as Israel approaches its fifth round of elections since 2019.
“I am finishing a fascinating period with my friend Gideon Sa’ar,” Shir wrote on Twitter. “I had the privilege to be part of the dramatic political move that led to the end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s premiership.”
“Today I am joining Prime Minister Yair Lapid and his party Yesh Atid, which is the central political force that is standing like a fortified wall against [those] who are attempting to destroy us from within,” she wrote.
Shir originally began her political career as a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, joining the youth movement at 14, according to The Times of Israel.
She was a critic of Lapid during the 2019 election cycle, claiming he was a “dangerous amateur.” Shir left Likud in 2020 after criticizing how then-prime minister Netanyahu handled the Covid pandemic, joining New Hope.
Lapid welcomed the announcement shortly after it was made.
“Michal is an excellent and diligent MK with broad experience. There is a lot of work ahead of us. We will continue to work together for the good of the citizens of Israel,” Lapid wrote.
After the announcement, Shir resigned from the Knesset, required by Israeli law in order to join a different party.
Hila Shay-Vazan, the next person on the New Hope list, said she did not want to become a Knesset member for a short period, turning down the offer
