Coalition Chairman (Likud) David Bitan announced on motzei Shabbos that Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon will have to give in regarding the matter of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the closure of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

Speaking to Meet the Press, Bitan explained some the prime minister is firm in his position and “he has done the math” and is aware if elections occur, Kahlon and his Kulanu party will be the big loser, not Likud.

Bitan however stressed the fight is not over IBA but the fact that over one million Israelis voted for Likud and that being the case, a party with ten seats (Kulanu), or eight seats (Bayit Yehudi) cannot lead the government but Likud and Likud alone must leader government policy.

Mr. Netanyahu feels the IBA has become too bloated and too many people earn too high a monthly salary. Hence, he wishes to close it and replace it with a new agency that will rehire some of the old and some new manpower, replacing IBA with IPBC (Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation).

To date, both the prime minister and finance minister have stated the matter is a deal breaker, each unwilling to compromise, each signaling elections may result.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)