Netanyahu Backs Right-Wing Official Facing Dismissal Amid Power Struggle

A power struggle is unfolding at the Israel Land Authority (ILA) involving its acting director, Yehuda Eliyahu, a prominent right-wing figure associated with the settlement movement and Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich. Eliyahu, who has sought to implement independent management changes and alter established patterns within the ILA, is facing calls for his dismissal, spearheaded by the workers' union and supported by the overseeing minister, Haim Katz of the Likud party.

The ILA workers' union has sent a sharp letter to Minister Katz, questioning Eliyahu's continued tenure. While the union cites Eliyahu's decision to cancel a workers' event due to a dispute over women singing as a prominent reason, the letter also details grievances related to traditional power centers. These include complaints about senior positions being filled by external candidates instead of internal ILA employees, a lack of sufficient consultation with the union on employee-related matters, and delays in updating the collective agreement and promotion mechanisms.

Minister Katz initially appeared to align with the union's position, summoning Eliyahu for a pre-dismissal hearing. This move was interpreted by some in the Smotrich camp as a "double game" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting Katz was acting with the premier's backing. However, the situation took a sharp turn when the Likud party issued a statement clarifying that Prime Minister Netanyahu had approved Eliyahu's appointment and affirmed that he "is doing important national work in the Galilee and the Negev, and he will not be fired."

Netanyahu's intervention effectively quashed the dismissal attempt, leaving Minister Katz in a difficult position. The prime minister's decision positions him as supporting a right-wing appointee seeking to reform management practices within a government authority, even when facing opposition from the workers' union and his own party's minister. The broader question remains whether appointees from the right-wing bloc will be empowered to enact genuine change when confronting established internal resistance.