Netanyahu to meet right-religious bloc leaders as coalition negotiations kick

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has invited the leaders of his right-wing and religious bloc for individual meetings on Sunday in Jerusalem, his office said Saturday, as talks on forming Israel’s next government begin even before Netanyahu has been formally asked by the president to do so.

President Isaac Herzog is expected to task Netanyahu with the job within a week, after consulting with all elected parties, as is the custom. The decisive win for Likud and its allied parties in Tuesday’s election makes him the clear choice.

Netanyahu’s bloc won 64 seats out of 120 in Tuesday’s elections. He is expected to form a government with ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, as well as with the far-right alliance of Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit.

The Walla news site cited sources in Netanyahu’s bloc as saying the meetings were not “official negotiations” and were thought to be intended to establish baselines as the right-religious bloc parties are expected to fight over ministerial roles.

According to Channel 12 news, Shas leader Aryeh Deri was told by Netanyahu he would be given first choice of any ministerial role he wanted. The network said Netanyahu wants Shas to get the Finance Ministry, or if not to keep it for his Likud, as he does not want to give the portfolio to Religious Zionism party head Betzalel Smotrich.

The network said Netanyahu wants to offer Smotrich the Education Ministry or Justice Ministry. It did not cite sources. Shortly before the elections, Smotrich proposed a range of judicial reforms that could neuter the judiciary’s independence if fully implemented and potentially halt Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.

Shas party head Aryeh Deri with supporters as the results of the Israeli elections are announced, in Jerusalem. November 1, 2022 (Yossi Zamir/Flash90 )

Smotrich has previously said he might also seek the Defense Ministry, though he has little military experience. But Channel 13 news reported Saturday that the position would likely go to Likud MK Yoav Galant, a former top general in the Israeli military.

Fighting over ministerial roles has also been reported within the Likud itself.

Head of the Religious Zionist party Bezalel Smotrich at the party’s campaign headquarters after election day, November 1, 2022. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

On Saturday, Walla reported that Likud MK David Amsalem is demanding the Justice Ministry for himself, while apparently warning Netanyahu of the consequences if he is not given it.

Amsalem, known for his brash style, reportedly told other party members at an event last week: “I will only be justice minister. If not, I’ll be on his case for four years.”

Amsalem denied the quote, Walla said, citing a statement issued on his behalf. “He doesn’t talk like that about the prime minister-elect and these things are probably the figment of the imagination of one person or another,” the statement said.

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