As coalition talks progress, and parties have to prepare their ‘wish list’; their list of demands for entering the coalition, United Right-Wing list leader Rafi Peretz is demanding the education portfolio for himself and the justice portfolio for the second person on the party lineup, MK Betzalel Smotrich. The party is demanding a third appointment, a smaller one like Jerusalem or Diaspora Affairs.

Smotrich is seeking something more, News12 reported on Monday evening, the immediate implementation of the Norwegian Law to permit Otzma Yehudit candidate Itamar Ben-Gvir into Knesset. After Peretz and Smotrich resign from Knesset and continue serving as cabinet ministers, it would clear the way for the seventh slot man to enter, Ben-Gvir. The report also addresses the passing of the Override Clause towards permitting the Knesset to override a High Court ruling with a simple majority, even less than 61.

The party is also seeking to make other changes, including changing the system of selecting judges to permit the government to appoint them and the Knesset to approve the appointments; changing the status of the attorney general to prevent him from siding with the High Court of Justice against the position of the cabinet or a cabinet minister. The demands continue to include seeking to curtail the authority of the State Comptroller to prevent him from passing judgement on elected officials while they are serving, and finally, the return of the Parliamentary Immunity law to resemble the version that existed before 2005, as then MKs will enjoy immunity by default and it will only be removed when there is a request that is approved by the Knesset Committee in cases in which the attorney general approves handing down an indictment against an elected official.

In the sphere of security, the party will demand that coalition agreement prohibits withdrawal from areas of Israel the News12 report adds as well as declaring Israeli sovereignty over Yehuda and Shomron; a law canceling the Disengagement plan, which would permit Jews to return to the yishuvim in Northern Shomron such as Chomesh and Sanur. The party’s demands also include the elimination of the Civil Administration.

There are reports that due to the demands being made by Smotrich, Bayit Yehudi and Ichud Leumi will hold independent coalition talks.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)