Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted a new government will be announced on Wednesday, but the optimistic forecast may be delayed by the latest clamoring over the coveted Education Ministry and other portfolios.
Yesh Atid sources said Tuesday that Chairman Yair Lapid is not likely to give up the Education portfolio, strongly featured in the party's election campaign.
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Conversely, Likud -Beiteinuare adamant that the portfolio should remain with the incumbent Gideon Sa'ar .
Monday night a meeting between Netanyahu and his intended coalition partners, Lapid and Naftali Bennett ,was rife with disagreement, and concluded without scheduling new talks.
The Likud slammed Yesh Atid's demand of the Education portfolio, with a senior negotiator saying that "there is no intention of handing the portfolio over."
Likud MK Miri Regev issued a statement saying that "demanding the portfolio for rookie MK Shay Piron is audacious."
Despite the conflict, the teams managed to agree on several points, among them the equal share of the burden plan, handing the Finance Ministry portfolioto Yair Lapid and the extended Industry, Trade and Employment portfolio to Bennett.