The leaders of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties on Wednesday were reportedly set to declare they would act as a unified bloc in the upcoming coalition negotiations and recommend Benjamin Netanyahu as the next premier. In exchange, they would demand the Likud leader commit to not forming a coalition without them.
An official from one of the right-wing parties said that such a united bloc would increase the right’s chances of forming the next government, the Walla news site reported.
Calling for meetings with Netanyahu were Yaakov Litzman of the ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism, Aryeh Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas, Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett of the New Right, Bezalel Smotrich of National Union and Rafi Peretz of Jewish Home.
With results signaling political deadlock, Netanyahu was expected to hold separate meetings with each faction. The party leaders were expected to ask the prime minister to commit to not forming a government without them, and in exchange, they would vow to recommend only him for the next prime minister. Some of the parties held preliminary talks to coordinate their positions, the report said.
With most votes counted, Benny Gantz’s Blue and White and the left-wing bloc had edged ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud and the right-wing bloc. As it stands, neither party can realistically form a coalition government without each other or Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu, who as kingmaker has vowed he will force a unity government of Likud and Blue and White. (Read More)
