the Knesset on Monday was set to vote on a controversial reform of Israel’s natural gas sector, but by Sunday night Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not appear to have clinched a parliamentary majority to approve the plan.
As part of the special session called during the summer recess, the Knesset was slated to vote on whether to transfer the monopoly-approving authority of Economy Minister Aryeh Deri — who has refused to exercise his ministerial power to fast-track the new gas deal with energy companies — to the cabinet.
Netanyahu, whose razor-thin coalition of just 61 MKs already struggles to maintain a majority.
The deal has been controversial, with critics, including former antitrust commissioner David Gilo, expressing concern that the deal created a de facto monopoly that would lead to high gas prices for Israelis.
Netanyahu has championed the controversial deal, saying it would pump billions of shekels into the economy.
