With coalition in the bag, Netanyahu faces internal revolt
Senior Likud members will now fight it out for remaining portfolios, accusing the prime minister of giving away top posts in order to form shaky coalition.
The complaints against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from within his own Likud party over the way in which coalition negotiations have been managed could be the first shots across the bow in a new battle, as senior party members fight it out for the remaining ministries.
Most of the criticism is over the division of ministerial portfolios and the powers left to the ruling party, in particular given its impressive showing at the elections, in which Likud won 30 seats. The majority of the senior posts have already been handed out to coalition partners, with only the Foreign Ministry left vacant. The position is to remain inside the Likud, in the hopes of stabilizing the government at some point in the future.
Netanyahu on Wednesday night reached a coalition agreement with Bayit Yehudi, which guaranteed him a minimal majority for a government, but saw him hand over key ministries to the rival party. With the clock ticking, the prime minister gave in to most of the right-wing party's demands
Under the terms of the agreement, Bayit Yehudi, which won just eight seats in the March 17 elections, will take the education, agriculture and justice ministries, and claim two seats in the sensitive security cabinet.
Criticism of Netanyahu, which began days ago, is expected to reach grow in light of the agreement with Bayit Yehudi, which was signed with less than two hours to go before the deadline for forming a government expired.
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The new government will comprise 61 MKs, the smallest majority possible in the 120-seat Knesset. The announcement by Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman that he would take his party's six seats into opposition left Netanyahu with even less avenues to reach the magic number – and Bayit Yehudi's Naftali Bennett upped his demands accordingly.
Likud MKs are irate over the distribution of posts, claiming that Netanyahu handed out positions with no sense of proportion, simply to cobble together a government of doubtful stability.
Netanyahu now has five Likud ministers in the government. Of that number, only Yisrael Katz has already been informed that he will remain in the Transport Ministry and Moshe Ya'alon will continue as defense minister.
The others - Gilad Erdan, who came first in the party primaries, long-term Netanyahu ally Yuval Steinitz and party stalwart Silvan Shalom - are all anticipating a promotion. Benny Begin, who was urged by Netanyahu to return to the Likud, also expects a significant portfolio.
The most senior portfolio still left to Likud is the Public Security Ministry, for which Erdan is vying. Erdan is miffed at the paucity of posts open to him and has made clear that he expects to receive this ministry. He had initially sought the Education Ministry, but that was ultimately handed to Bennett. He has in recent days tried to make a behind the scenes push for the Foreign Ministry, but that will stay in Netanyahu's pocket. Steinitz and Shalom, meanwhile, are unlikely to get a more senior position given the fact that there are simply no posts left to hand out.
Other Likud MKs are also vying for an upgrade to minister, among them Miri Regev, a controversial and outspoken lawmaker who came in the top five in the party primaries and is the most senior female Likud official. Others include Yariv Levin and Ze'ev Elkin, who managed the coalition negotiations for the Likud. Both Levin and Elkin secured top 10 spots in the primaries and expect recognition. The three will seek portfolios such as welfare, tourism, communications, and culture and sport.
Likud sources said Wednesday night that Netanyahu would provide more ministerial posts than anticipated to members of his own party, so as not to slight any MKs when the coalition situation is so delicate. Some of the ministerial posts, including several ministers from his coalition partners, are expected to go into effect only after the government has overturned an amendment limiting the number of cabinet ministers to 18 only.
