As coalition talks begin, party leaders issue demands to Netanyahu
President Herzog is expected to meet party leaders on Wednesday to receive their recommendations for prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu kickstarted coalition talks on Sunday, meeting with party leaders and senior lawmakers from the far-right and ultra-orthodox parties.
While Netanyahu is expected to receive the mandate from President Isaac Herzog this week, his coalition partners have begun issuing demands and conditions for entering the government.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the no.2 in Religious Zionism and leader of the Jewish Power party, has demanded to be named Public Security Minister, and reportedly asked Netanyahu during their first public meeting on Monday for his party colleague, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, to receive either the Education or Transportation Ministry portfolio.
Ben-Gvir also demanded a promise in writing to reform the judicial system, with the most pressing issue being to prevent the High Court of Justice from overturning laws passed in Knesset.
The ultra-orthodox United Torah Judaism party has issued a similar demand, according to Israeli media.
This legal reform would pave the way for a number of controversial laws to be passed, such as granting army exemption for ultra-orthodox, and abolish the offences of fraud and breach of trust for lawmakers, both of which Netanyahu is indicted for in all three corruption cases he is currently on trial for.
Senior portfolios
Religious Zionism leader Betzalel Smotrich met Netanyahu on Sunday, and has previously expressed an interest in becoming Finance Minister. Top Likud lawmaker Israel Katz, however, said he expects to be named Finance Minister, a position he has previously held.
Given Smotrich’s party being the second largest in the coalition after Likud, a more senior portfolio could be given to him, such as Defence or Justice Minister, with the former reportedly being what the far-right leader has his eyes on.
Smotrich, however, has no significant military experience, causing experts to speculate that Netanyahu prefers giving the Defence portfolio to his party colleague, Yoav Gallant, who has previously served as Deputy IDF Chief of Staff.
Inside Likud, lawmaker Danny Danon has been the first to publicly issue a demand to Netanyahu, asking to be named Knesset Speaker.
“I conveyed a very clear message. I come with a lot of experience, both at the parliamentary level and at the political level. I marked the position of Knesset speaker for me, not the position of coalition chairman, and I think I am the most suitable,” Danon said.
Meanwhile Netanyahu’s right-hand man, Likud lawmaker Yariv Levin, is expected to be the lead candidate for Justice Minister, receiving official backing from his colleague David Amsalem, who previously demanded to receive that post.
Netanyahu is expected to formally receive the mandate from President Herzog to form a government, after the latter has received all party leaders’ recommendations for prime minister on Wednesday.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
