Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been hearing some of the competitors in the upcoming election stating if they enter a coalition government, they foresee themselves serving in the post of Minister of Education. This includes the head of the Bayit Yehudi party, Rabbi Rafi Peretz, who stated he would ask for this portfolio during coalition talks.

Prime Minister Netanyahu announced on Monday, March 11, 2019, that if he forms the next coalition government, the education portfolio will remain in Likud hands.

Mr. Netanyahu made his remarks during a special faction meeting held on Monday morning in the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, a meeting that marked 27 years since the petira of Menachem Begin Z”L.

Interestingly, the head of the Blue and White party, Benny Gantz, stated he does not believe Netanyahu and he claimed that if Begin was alive today, he would remove Netanyahu from Likud.

Following a period of friction and cross accusation, Mr. Netanyahu and Gideon Saar gave one another a warm long handshake, and they were even photographed together, which some inside the party believe was significant.

Netanyahu added that in order to maintain the education portfolio as he wishes to do, they will need a “strong Likud”, a party that earns many seats to combat the left-wing following elections.

Netanyahu told the members of his faction that it is important for people to know, “when people vote for Gantz, they will get Lapid as prime minister, and people do not understand it yet.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)