According to a Yisrael Hayom report on erev Shabbos, Kadima leader MK Shaul Mofaz has moved to align with Yesh Atid and HaBayit Yehudi, now with 33 combined seats, making the bloc larger that Likud Beitenu with 31. This will give additional strength to Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu struggles to build his coalition.

With a new week of coalition talks to get underway after Purim, the prime minsiter is frustrated and concerned as to date, he has only managed to sign on The Movement Party with six seats.

With Mofaz making the move to Bennett and Lapid, the coalition is likely to demand the three top cabinet posts, finance, foreign affairs and defense, with the last going to Mofaz, a former IDF chief of staff.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)