Lapid to Kahlon: Stand firm against expansion of government

Former finance minister and Yesh Atid party chairman Yair Lapid called Saturday on Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon to stand firm and object to any initiatives which would increase the number of ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s future government.

“If you really care about the money of [Israel’s] citizens, and if you really want to change, you must stand as a bulwark against any attempt to expand the government above 18 ministers,” Lapid wrote in a Facebook post. “We are talking about hundreds of millions [of shekels] that will be needed by you to help the disabled, the elderly, to promote reforms in which you believe.”

Earlier this week, Likud officials said they believed the number of ministers in the incoming government would have to be raised from the 18 stipulated by current law to 24, in order to accommodate the needs of all six parties that currently seek to share power: Likud, Jewish Home, Kulanu, Shas, United Torah Judaism and Yisrael Beytenu. Kahlon has sought the job of finance minister; Lapid is headed for the opposition.

On Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin formally tasked Netanyahu with forming the coalition, fulfilling his commitment to give the candidate who received the most recommendations for the premiership the first opportunity to build a government. On Wednesday night, before negotiations had even begun, Netanyahu had already waded into problematic territory with Kahlon, as the former Likud minister expressed anger over reports that United Torah Judaism would be given control of the Knesset’s powerful Finance Committee.

Kahlon later canceled a meeting with Likud officials scheduled for Thursday, as negotiations over Kulanu’s role in the next government were set to take place. The Kulanu party leader 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.

Netanyahu will have until May 7 to present his coalition to the president, with an option to extend talks for another two weeks.

Analysts believe the incoming government will be formed by right-wing and religious parties, some of which oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, and that if Netanyahu bows to international pressure to disengage or evacuate settlements in the West Bank, he could risk a coalition break-up leading to new elections.

Meretz, Yesh Atid, Zionist Union and the Joint (Arab) List are expected to sit in the opposition.