Likud denies agreeing to bar energy generation on Shabbat or expand segregated beaches

Expected incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party denies some of the details reported by Channel 12 on its alleged coalition deal with United Torah Judaism, saying it is a list of demands by the Haredi party and not a list of demands it has agreed to implement.

In a statement sent out by a Likud spokesperson and quoting “Likud sources,” the party says it is not agreeing to bar electricity production on Shabbat, expand gender-segregated beaches, and other clauses.

“Any final agreement will preserve the years-long status quo on religion and state matters,” it adds.

Meanwhile, outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid says the reported deal testifies to Netanyahu’s “weakness.”

“The deal between United Torah Judaism and Likud is more proof of the total surrender and weakness of Netanyahu,” Yesh Atid says in a statement.

“His freedom in exchange for our freedom,” it adds, referring to its talking point that Netanyahu is trying to extricate himself from his legal woes.