There are reports that even if Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s Independence party does not earn enough votes to enter the next Knesset he will be appointed as defense minister again if Binyamin Netanyahu is reelected.
When asked to comment on these reports Barak called them “speculation” and told the media “one should not pay attention to speculation. If voters wish to see me continue as defense minister they must vote for my party”.
Aides to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu commenting on the reports insist the prime minister has not promised anyone any position at present.
Likud voters realize the top candidate from within the party for the post is Minister Moshe Ya’alon, a former IDF chief of staff, who many believed would be defense minister in the current Knesset but Netanyahu had to give it away to pull Barak into the coalition.
In another Barak-related piece of news the defense minister is denying reports from the Chinese media that he flew to Jordan five days ago to meet with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
If Barak ran on his own party and lost, it would be hard to offer him a cabinet position since coalition patronage is based on results (if Barak with two seats gets Defense, then Shas with 10 seats will want Finance and Justice, etc.).
If he were to join Likud, he’ld have to run in the Likud primary, and might not get selected.
If he endorses Netanyahu but doesn’t run, he can receive the Defense portfolio directly from Netanyahu, since the Prime Minister typically has the Defense portfolio as well (going back to Ben Gurion), so it would be Netanyahu’s to do as he pleases.
Bibi & Barak are not to be trusted.