The designated ruling party, the Likud, announced this evening (Wednesday) significant progress in the talks between the Likud and Otzma Yehudit, but it seems that this is Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to stop the political alliance between Itamar Ben Gabir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Despite the Likud’s announcement about the progress in the talks, Ben Gvir does not intend to sign a coalition agreement without Smotrich, as he also made clear to the Likud members.
Netanyahu met in the afternoon at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem with Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri, and then met with the chairman of Otzma Yehudit MK Ben Gabir. The negotiations to form the government are stuck in light of Netanyahu’s refusal to give Bezalel Smotrich the security portfolio.
As I recall, Smotrich demands the security or the treasury, but after Deri received first priority and chose the treasury, Netanyahu is not ready to allow Smotrich to receive the security, perhaps because he fears that Smotrich will harm the Palestinian Authority or lead moves in favor of settlement in the West Bank that will “complicate” the Israel’s relations with the countries, especially the United States.
In their meeting today, Deri and Netanyahu tried to find a creative solution to the dispute. The possibility of “compensating” Deri by giving him an expanded interior portfolio is being examined, but for now the Shas chairman insists on taking the Ministry of Finance.
“A little patience, with God’s help we will establish a right-wing government,” Netanyahu said upon leaving the meeting with Deri, which lasted only about 20 minutes.
Yesterday, Netanyahu met with Smotrich in the Knesset at the end of the solemn inauguration ceremony of the 25th Knesset, after a break of almost a week. The parties concluded the meeting, which Netanyahu initiated, by saying that it “took place in a good atmosphere.” A meeting planned for today between Likud and religious Zionism was canceled this morning. Likud also canceled a meeting scheduled for today with representatives of Torah Judaism.