Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett and New Hope leader head Gideon Sa'ar plan to merge their parties, Israel Hayom has learned, in a move that will see Bennet tasked with the premiership as the head of a party that garnered a combined 13 Knesset seats instead of the seven Yamina earned.
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All sides are looking to divide the portfolios in such a way that is acceptable to all sides and avoids a repeat of the kind of disputes witnessed in the current Likud-Blue and White government on an array of issues.
Concerned the government will find it hard to make decisions on various issues, Bennett has asked to be granted veto power within the role of prime minister, a move the other parties have opposed.
One of the proposals on the table is the establishment of a government comprising 23 ministers and one prime minister within which each political sector – Right, Left, and center – would receive eight ministerial portfolios. The proposal has been met with legal difficulties due to the parity principle set out in a change to a Basic Law by the current unity government, according to which the government is divided into two, not three, blocs. Nor would the division of portfolios be equal among the parties, something some of the parties would oppose.
Meanwhile, Bennett met with Ra'am party head Mansour Abbas for the first time, Wednesday morning.
In a statement, the Yamina party said, "The two discussed the two parties' stances in light of the current political situation. The meeting went well."
The Religious Zionist Party blasted the statement.
"A few months ago, Naftali Bennett and Yamina embarked on a new path – their goal: regime change and the establishment of a left-wing government under their leadership. Ever since they have been [engaged] in a campaign … full of lies and accusations aimed at blurring the turning of their backs on the right-wing camp and its values.
"Today, while we are making every effort to establish a right-wing government, Bennett is taking another, dangerous, and unprecedented step toward the precedential training of a left-wing government that relies on terror-supporting and children-murdering parties and making the State of Israel reliant on them and susceptible to their blackmail.
In a message to the New Hope and Yamina party heads, the RZP said, "Gideon and Naftali, the Right will not forgive you if you sell the State of Israel to its enemies for minor interests and major ego. You will be remembered eternally in disgrace. Take it back, and let's establish a right-wing government."
With just five days remaining, Netanyahu, however, hasn't given up on his efforts to establish a government just yet. On Wednesday, his emissaries tried to convince Blue and White party chief Benny Gantz to join up with the right-wing bloc and take over the premiership.
According to sources with knowledge of the talks, Gantz has demanded to serve as prime minister the first two years of the next government as part of a rotation deal between himself and Netanyahu. While Netanyahu has agreed to let Gantz serve first, he would like to see him in office for just one year.
The negotiations, held despite the screaming match that erupted just a few days ago when Netanyahu tried to appoint his fellow Likud member Ofir Akunis as justice minister, are said to be ongoing.
Were Gantz to join forces with Netanyahu, the prime minister would have the support of 60 Knesset members, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. Another lawmaker from the "change" bloc has also reportedly agreed to defect to the government should Gantz agree, raising the number of MKs in the government to 61. With the further addition of Bennett's Yamina party, that coalition would then have a total of 67 seats.
In an interview with Channel 12 News, Gantz did not completely rule out the possibility of joining a government with Netanyahu.
Asked if he would refuse to serve as prime minister first in a rotation government with Netanyahu, he avoided providing a clear answer and said, "Today too, Netanyahu contacted me through emissaries with proposals from new directions. This is not possible. We need to establish a new and honest government in Israel. From my perspective, Netanyahu has finished his role as the State of Israel's prime minister."
Asked again if he would join forces with Netanyahu, Gantz said, "This possibility has been ruled out in the first place, and I am moving forward. I think a new government, a government of change, is needed. Unfortunately, Netanyahu demonstrated once again yesterday that you can't work with him. I think ultimately, everyone would like to see Netanyahu leave the Prime Minister's Office."
Acc
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