Likud/Beitenu officials are signaling the deadlocked talks with Yesh Atid signals a limited window of opportunity for Bayit HaYehudi and its coalition partner Yesh Atid. They explain “now Bennett can sign a deal and receive everything he seeks, including the appointment as the next finance minister. The question remains if Bennett will hold off signing due to the agreement with Yair Lapid.”

Bayit Yehudi officials responded, quoted in the daily Maariv explaining “There is no break between us and Yesh Atid”, indicating clearly the party will not sign without Yair Lapid. They view the current situation as yet another attempt to divide and conquer, stating it will not work.

The feeling is shared among Yesh Atid leaders, for they are all aware that between them, they have 33 seats and if they remain committed to the deal, Likud/Beitenu with its 31 seats has no other alternative at present.

Interestingly, Bayit Yehudi officials prefer to ignore calls by Yesh Atid for Shabbos public bus service and a less restrictive state conversion program. Number five on the Bayit Yehudi lineup Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, who was a director-general of the Rabbinical Courts and the head of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu’s ZT”L Office for a number of years was the only party member to address this. He said that sitting in a coalition that moves for Shabbos bus service and amending Halachic issues like giyur is a non-starter. Party leaders appear to prefer skirting the issue for the time being in favor of remaining loyal to Yesh Atid and their deal.

Party MK Uri Orbach, possibly the closest to Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett told the media on Wednesday 24 Adar that he is not committed to Lapid’s demands for fewer cabinet posts, perhaps signaling a crack in the agreement with Yesh Atid. It is possible that Lapid realizes he will have to come down from this ladder, but prefers to wait to the last moment to show voters he accomplished a great deal with his coalition demands, but the issue of the cabinet posts was undoable, at least not to the number 18 as he hoped to achieve.

From the prime minister’s perspective he can simply point out to Lapid that the cost of another general election is far greater than a few additional cabinet posts over the next four years.

Speaking to Israel Radio on Wednesday, 24 Adar 5773, Likud Limor Livnat was asked to explain the difference between the deal between Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid, which is views as objectionable and the deal between Likud and Yisrael Beitenu. Livnat stated that there is no comparison since the Likud deal with Yisrael Beitenu was announced before the general election so voters knew what they were getting. In the case of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, the deal was announced after the election, so in essence, voters are being duped.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)