With coalition at hand, battle for portfolios begins

With a unity government in the cards and a need to satisfy all parties, many top Likud officials and ministers may soon find themselves deprived of positions for which they have yearned.

One such potential example is former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat, who has had his sights set on the Treasury and was promised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would be the next finance minister.

Channel 12 reports that Foreign Minister Israel Katz is now seen as the leading candidate for that role.

Attempting to preempt such a move, a statement given to Hebrew media by associates of Barkat says “Nir Barkat trusts the prime minister fully and has no doubt he will fulfill his promise to the people of Israel and appoint him as finance minister in the emergency government.”