Jewish Home says it fears being left out of coalition

Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett expressed concern Thursday that his party may not be invited to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition for the next Knesset, citing rumors that the Likud head plans to approach Zionist Union officials in hopes of forming a unity government. Bennett also criticized Netanyahu for backtracking on statements made ahead of last week’s elections, according to which the prime minister would oppose the founding of a Palestinian state.

His statements reflected friction between the two right-wing parties over Bennett’s demand for the defense minister’s job and other senior positions in the next coalition — demands Likud is disinclined to meet.

“Unfortunately, it seems that the prime minister plans to speak with Boujie/Tzipi and is skipping us,” Bennett wrote in a Facebook post, referring to Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, the heads of the Zionist Union party. “Netanyahu has also retracted his remarks that he will not allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and has in general renounced all national obligations.”

The Jewish Home chairman added that should his party end up in the opposition, the faction members would nevertheless “serve the people of Israel with determination and faith.”

Later Thursday, Likud and Jewish Home representatives held a first round of talks and discussed terms for partnering in the next government.

“We presented our main demands in the meeting, [and] it’s no secret, we’ve had a difficult feeling these past few days over Likud’s conduct,” Jewish Home negotiator Nir Orbach said. “The basis of the things is very simple: Israel went to a referendum over its path, and the path of Jewish Home and Likud won big. The government’s guidelines must reflect the people’s choice,” he added.

Haaretz reported that Netanyahu was preparing for a fight with the Jewish Home party over Bennett’s desire to receive the defense, education and religious affairs ministries.

Likud officials told the paper that given their party’s strong election showing — winning 30 seats compared to Jewish Home’s eight in the March 17 vote — there was no intention of giving Bennett more than one of those ministries, and it definitely wouldn’t be defense, which Netanyahu would like to retain for Moshe Ya’alon.

“Bennett hasn’t yet internalized the election results,” Likud sources told Haaretz. “We see Bennett as education minister or economy minister with extended powers. He won’t get a better position. On the other hand, we are willing to make it up to Bennett and offer his party three (minor) portfolios.”

Meanwhile, Herzog on Thursday denied rumors that the Likud was prepared to approach the Zionist Union in hopes of establishing a unity government. In a Facebook post, Herzog stated that his party was prepared to be a “fighting opposition” to Netanyahu’s Likud.

Earlier Thursday, Kulanu party leader Moshe Kahlon canceled a meeting with Likud officials, where they were to have negotiated over Kulanu’s role in the next government. Kahlon said he backed out of the meeting to protest Likud handing out key positions before official coalition talks officially began, which would make it more difficult to enact economic reforms, Israel Radio reported. The Likud party called Kahlon’s move strange and uncalled-for.

Likud leaders were sitting down with several potential coalition partners Thursday to begin cobbling together a government, a day after President Reuven Rivlin formally charged Netanyahu with the task.