Miri Regev aims for Housing Ministry in next government

Likud MK Miri Regev, the highest-placed woman on the party’s list, said she would like to serve as housing and construction minister in the next government should Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud chairman, be elected for a third successive term in the March 17 elections.

“I am very interested in the Ministry of Housing and Construction. I want to build up our land and to allow thousands of young couples to purchase an apartment at a reasonable price, or rent at a reasonable rate,” Regev told Israel Radio Friday morning, a day after final results from the Likud primaries showed Regev in the fifth spot — one of the major upsets of the race from Netanyahu’s point of view.

Regev’s high ranking should ordinarily earn her a ministerial position in the next government — a reward the prime minister is thought unlikely to bestow. The success of Regev, who is not considered a Netanyahu loyalist, was the only significant result likely to have disappointed the prime minister, who otherwise saw his favored candidates thrive and many of his more troublesome party MKs fare poorly in a vote that restored his firm grip on the Likud.

A high-ranking official close to the prime minister told Haaretz Thursday that Netanyahu was “repelled by Regev’s style, her harshness and the image she is creating for the party.

“Netanyahu has every reason to decide that Regev is unworthy of his government,” the source continued. “She is considered close to Netanyahu’s rival, [former Likud minister and ex-MK] Gideon Sa’ar, and intended to support his candidacy for the party leadership. She also got strong support from Yedioth Ahronoth, one of the prime minister’s great adversaries. Why should he appoint her a minister in his government?”

Regev seemed unperturbed by the remarks, saying Friday that she believed that “at the end of the day, the prime minister will respect the public’s wishes.

“Likud supporters have had their say in a clear way. ‘Miri Regev is in the top five. We want her in a senior position.’ I believe that, G-d willing, a day after Netanyahu is reelected prime minister, we will form the best government.”

Regev is infamous for outspoken and controversial remarks about Arab MKs and African asylum-seekers, but is very popular with Likud supporters who view her as a down-to-earth, accessible politician.

“I built up a very good rapport with the public, with my voters, I have done some real work on social, defense and security issues,” she said.

Regev also heaped praise on Netanyahu, listing his alleged achievements as prime minister on social and security issues, She had some harsh words for Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Hatnua head Tzipi Livni, who is running on a joint ticket with Labor in the elections.

“Lapid has done nothing. He bought his supporters with promises he didn’t keep. His star is falling,” she charged, adding that Livni has “ruined every party she’s ever been a part of; she was in charge of negotiations [with the Palestinians] and did nothing.

“She should not be in the government or the Knesset,” claimed Regev.

Regev’s rise notwithstanding, the Likud’s final Knesset slate was hailed by Netanyahu as “fantastic,” as he saw most of his favored candidates placed in slots high enough to likely secure a Knesset seat, and the poor faring of most of those candidates he did not favor.

However, the list features only two women in the top 20 slots (Gila Gamliel is the second woman on the list, in the 13th spot), and is low on Orthodox candidates and candidates favored by the settlement community, which could make Likud vulnerable to the Orthodox-nationalist Jewish Home party. Netanyahu may choose to address this when he appoints two candidates of his own choice for slots 11 and 23 later this month.

Netanyahu easily won his third consecutive race for party leader in Wednesday’s vote, defeating challenger MK Danny Danon with over 80% of the vote. According to Likud officials, no one was surprised by the result — not even Danon.

In addition to the party leader race, Likud members were each asked to select 11 of the 38 candidates running for the party’s national list, as well as a candidate from their region for five dedicated regional slots.

On the final Knesset list, Gilad Erdan, who came in third in the 2012 primary behind the now-retired former cabinet minister Gideon Sa’ar, won the top slot behind Netanyahu with 36,287 votes.

Just behind Erdan, in third place and with 33,900 votes, came the first big surprise of the race, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein — a steep jump from 12th place in the 2012 party primaries for the former Soviet dissident and two-time cabinet minister.

Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, a 16-year Knesset veteran, came in fourth.