Likud appears to be setting up a smaller coalition than expected, 61 rather than 67. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will serve a foreign minister.
According to a Yisrael Hayom report on Thursday, 27 Nissan, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took a number of scenarios into account, including a narrow coalition of 61. This means the coalition will include Likud, Shas, Yahadut Hatorah, and Bayit Yehudi. Yisrael Beitenu, which has six seats, will not join as party leader Avigdor Lieberman stated if he does not continue serving as foreign minister, he will not enter the coalition but will join the opposition.
It appears PM Netanyahu wishes to hold the foreign ministry portfolio for a possible future deal with Yitzchak Herzog and his Labor party. He will also remain with the option to meet Lieberman’s demands and have Yisrael Beitenu join the coalition at a later date.
Yisrael Hayom adds that Shas leader Aryeh Deri is under mounting pressure to accept the post of transportation minister instead of interior minister as he wishes.
The report also states that if Labor was to join the coalition, in addition to the Foreign Ministry, Herzog’s party would receive the education, tourism, and welfare ministries.
Earlier this week it was reported that PM Netanyahu and Herzog met secret in the hope of advancing a possible deal. The Channel 1 News report was denied by officials close to the prime minister and Labor party leader.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
What about the Kulanu Party?
#1. They were probably left out of the story inadvertently. They don’t have 61 seats without Kulanu.
Shas leader Aryeh Deri should accept the post of transportation minister ,though relatively unimportant, since then he could hopefully cut down on Bus and Airline transportation on Shabbos and Holidays.
He could also boost his “amcha” supporters through giving them more Bus and jobs and routes
The onus is/will be now on the religious to embed this Coalition deep into the national soul long after it’s term is finally done.
Judaism is primarily about the Klal.
Our obligation is to work with the present reality ,all the while doing our utmost developing towards a better world.
(Saying that we take ought to refrain from imposing our way of life on others is american and/or libertarian influence seeping in ,and a cop-out.)
About Time: I agree with you, but I don’t think the Chareidi politicians are skilled enough to bring people together and to educate the public in a constructive way that would actually effect positive change in the yiddishkeit of the country.
Their MO has been more of a sledgehammer approach and that only creates animosity and a backlash, which led to Lapid’s rise the last go-round. It was Lapid’s exposure as an empty suit that caused his drop but someone else, ch’v, could fill the void in the future.
They need to get smarter on how they do things and show some concern for everyone else in the country, not just Chareidim. Other people have needs too and those footing the lions share of the bill are stretched to far already.
If Deri uses the transportation ministry to cut back on Shabbos transportation he will end up in prison again. He would be better off switching to the Yahadut Torah idea of rejecting patronage and focusing on getting things for the community.
As long as either Labor, or the ultra-hilonim (Yisrael Beiteinu and Yesh Atid) are in the wings, Netanyahu can keeps his coalition partners in line, since they will know they can be swapped out if the don’t behaive.