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Why Israel's left can't depend on Finance Minister Kahlon

Reading into statements by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon should clarify to the Israeli center-left that he has never deserted the right-wing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) speaks with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem January 31, 2016. REUTERS/Amir Cohen  - RTX24S18
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“With Kahlon and Lapid, we’ll be able to bring down Netanyahu next time,” a senior member of the Zionist Camp told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity July 3. This seasoned political wolf believes that the political system is ready to spew out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and in his opinion, all that is needed is to transfer a few mandates from the right-wing bloc to the left.

This left-wing politician counts Finance Minister and Kulanu Party Chairman Moshe Kahlon in the left-wing camp. And that is a mistake. True, Kahlon, a former Likud member, is the social-justice banner carrier in the government. True, the lion’s share of voters for Kahlon are moderate right-wingers — who many people call “the old-time Likud.” It is also true that Kahlon never forgave Netanyahu for causing him to leave the Likud in October 2014. Like former Likud Ministers Moshe Ya’alon and Gideon Saar, Kahlon also has personal motives to bring down Netanyahu.

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