Former Netanyahu aide details key backroom role in unity deal

A former top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who was ousted from his post by a sexual harassment scandal was the main middleman in the formation of the Likud-Kadima coalition government.

Speaking to Channel 2, Natan Eshel said that he is “still involved” with Netanyahu and that he had been behind the agreement. He defended the deal, saying he does not know why people say it “stinks of politics” and claimed he is a public servant and friend of the prime minister.

Eshel was forced to leave the Prime Minister’s Bureau in February after being accused of sexually harassing a colleague.

Last week, the report explained, Eshel had been in contact with a member of Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz’s staff about a possible unity government deal.

By Sunday, negotiations were underway — the same day that Netanyahu spoke at a Likud conference and confirmed his interest to hold elections “as early as possible.”

“There were contacts even a week ago. There were doubts, but slowly, it started to become a reality,” Eshel said. “And yesterday we took the last step and closed the deal.”