With coalition talks with the various factions underway towards forming the next coalition government, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has announced the demands made by the chareidi and religious parties are extreme.

According to a Yisrael Hayom newspaper report, Netanyahu made his comments to persons in his close circle, citing how demands for ministerial posts and other positions are extreme. Yahadut Hatorah is demanding positions equal to four cabinet ministers. Shas is demanding three ministers and the United Right-Wing is demanding the education and justice portfolios, citing how the dati leumi party has dropped to a mere five seats in the election but is nevertheless making stern demands.

One might opine the prime minister, who is by all accounts a seasoned negotiator, has leaked these statements to the media to begin the delegitimization process; to make the chareidim appear ugly in the media as they are already accused by many of seeking to take more than their entitled share of government budgeting.

Amid fears of a chareidi takeover, as Shas, Yahadut Hatorah and United Right-Wing earned a combined 21 seats, there is fear of a religious takeover and the statements in Yisrael Hayom, quoting PM Netanyahu, have laid the groundwork for further delegitimization of the chareidi and religious MKs. MK Avigdor Lieberman, the chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu party with five seats, has already told the media he will not join a coalition that changes the State of Israel into a “halachic state”, adding he is fearful the chareidim will use their political might to “change the religious status quo”.

Both Lieberman and MK Yair Lapid of the Blue and White party are already busy with their campaign to paint the chareidim as extortionists, who will only join the government after receiving an exaggerated piece of the government pie.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)