Collective unity, but no unity government

Three days before Memorial Day, the Hebrew papers on Sunday kick off the annual commemorations, with the country’s bereavement from the 50-day summer war still fresh. The papers also highlight the ongoing coalition talks, and the (im)possibility of a unity government with the Zionist Union —  a persistent rumor that despite the repeated denials cannot be quashed.

Over in Israel Hayom, the upcoming Memorial Day leads the front pages. In its cover story, the daily reports that IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot will lay flags at the graves of fallen soldiers on Sunday. The paper reports that 23,320 Israelis have been killed overall. Some 116 soldiers were killed this year, 67 of them during Operation Protective Edge, and another 35 wounded IDF veterans succumbed to their wounds this past year.

The paper reports that Ron Azoulay, 20, an IDF soldier critically wounded in Shejaiya over the summer, will light a memorial torch in the ceremony in his hometown of Migdal Ha’emek. Azoulay, who has been classified as 100 percent disabled, was hit with shrapnel all over his body, including a fragment that entered under his eye and exited below his ear, it reports.

Yedioth Ahronoth reports that Staff Sergeant Daniel Pomerantz, 20, jotted down notes about his army goals after entering a commander’s course in the IDF. “How much are you willing to give?” he wrote, on a paper that was discovered by his family after his death on July 20. “To my soldiers, I will give everything.”

Both Yedioth and Israel Hayom feature a small item on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the grave of his brother, Yoni Netanyahu, on Saturday night. And Israel Hayom jumps ahead to Independence Day (Thursday), warning that it may rain.

On the coalition talks, Israel Hayom reports that Netanyahu is poised to sign agreements with Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu party in the coming days, and will request a two-week extension to complete the negotiations. It reports that Shas will receive the interior and religious affairs portfolios, while Kahlon will receive the Finance Ministry, Environmental Protection Ministry, and Planning Committee. Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett will remain economy minister, but will also receive the intelligence affairs portfolio, it reports. His fellow party members Ayelet Shaked and Uri Ariel are also expected to receive the pensioner affairs and agriculture portfolios, respectively.

Over in Haaretz, the paper quotes Likud saying that they hope to sign a deal with Shas, UTJ, and Kulanu in the coming days, while the parties insist that gaps remain. It notes that Netanyahu met with Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman and Bennett two days ago. In the meeting, Liberman told Netanyahu the portfolio distribution was an issue that could be resolved between them, but stressed that he would not abide any changes to the legislation on conversion, and on the IDF draft law.

“The meeting with Liberman took place in Netanyahu’s residence, but the meeting with Bennett — who does not enjoy a close relationship with him — took place in the Prime Minister’s Office,” it reports. Sources told the paper the atmosphere during the meeting was “good,” and that progress had been made. Yedioth also emphasizes the locations of the meetings, writing that Bennett met with Netanyahu at the prime minister’s office “since Bennett is barred from going to his house in light of his bad relationship with the prime minister’s wife.”

The Haaretz report also says that Shas is seeking to receive a deputy ministership on top of its other demands, which the paper writes reflects that the party — which received 7 seats in the last election — is punching above its weight.

The three dailies also quote Zionist Union chairman Isaac Herzog denying — for the umpteeth time — he is moving to join a unity government with Netanyahu. Herzog says his party will be in the opposition, “not as a last resort, but as a preference.” While Yedioth and Israel Hayom report Herzog’s statements straight in an apparent effort to stamp out the rumors, Haaretz indicates that a unity government is still possible. It quotes sources in Likud urging Herzog to split up the party and join the coalition. If Herzog brings eight Knesset members with him, they will all be appointed ministers, the Likud source says, though it would be preferable that he bring 12. The Zionist Union denies the report.

Writing in Haaretz, Channel 10 reporter Raviv Drucker rails against a unity government, in a column entitled “The Case Against Unity.”

“The political facts, unlike the norm, are made of steel. No one has replaced the government from within the government. Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Olmert, and Ariel Sharon — they all conquered the government from the opposition… Isaac Herzog knows this, of course. It’s understandable why he wants ignore the political lesson and wants to enter the government. Who knows more than Herzog that only by a miracle was he a realistic candidate for the premiership. Herzog assumes that the miracle won’t strike twice. For him, it’s preferable to make an exit now and become foreign minister,” he writes.

Still, he continues, it’s unlikely the Zionist Union will enter the government, not because it doesn’t want to, but because it won’t be able to deal with the backlash from its constituents.

The papers also report that police chief Danino has six state witnesses in the high-profile Yisrael Beytenu corruption case and was set to indict at least ten suspects in the coming weeks.