Dan Illouz Resigns from Knesset: "The Personal Price is Heavy"
Knesset member Dan Illouz submitted his official resignation from the 25th Knesset to Speaker Amir Ohana on Tuesday. The move follows his departure from the Likud party to join Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu. Per legal requirements, the resignation takes effect within 48 hours, with Shabtai Katesh expected to replace him.
Knesset member Dan Illouz submitted his official resignation letter from the 25th Knesset to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Tuesday. Illouz's resignation comes just days after he announced his departure from the Likud party and his official transition to the Yisrael Beiteinu party, led by Avigdor Lieberman. In accordance with the law, the resignation will take effect within 48 hours of the letter's submission. Shabtai Katesh, the next candidate on the Likud list, is expected to enter the Knesset in Illouz's place.
In his letter to the Speaker, Illouz recounted his journey as an immigrant from Canada twenty years ago, driven by Zionism, and his subsequent military service. He noted that his tenure in the 25th Knesset coincided with one of the most challenging periods in the history of the State of Israel, and expressed pride in the Zionist and national causes he championed.
"The personal price is heavy," he stated.
He added that by leaving the Likud framework to join Yisrael Beiteinu, he chose to return his mandate to the faction:
"Who would have believed that a new immigrant who arrived alone would stand within a few years among the legislators of the State of Israel? There is no other country in the world where this is possible. This is the great privilege of my life, and I am grateful to the citizens of Israel who gave it to me. With my departure from the Likud framework and my joining of Yisrael Beiteinu a few days ago, I am returning the mandate to the faction. With God's help, I will return and continue to serve our beloved country."
The resignation follows sharp criticism Illouz leveled at his former party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Illouz, who led the opposition to the draft law, claimed that Likud had become a contractor for the ultra-Orthodox parties led by Deri and Goldknopf. Conversely, Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman welcomed the move, praising Illouz for the courage and integrity shown in his decision to leave the coalition.
