ANT KATZ

Fragile Coalition

But the coalition is a fragile one, Netanyahu has a majority of just one MK. That’s a razor tight margin in any government, but in Israel, known for its fractious and temperamental politicians (the last government fell after a falling out), it is especially tight. Time will tell if this will be a short lived government or if it can bed down and get results.

In any case, says EIPA, five parties are in the coalition government: Likud, Kulanu, Jewish Home, Shas and United Torah Judaism with, as we just said, a 61-seat majority out of 120 MKs.

“You didn’t form a government, you formed a circus.”    -HERZOG 

• BIbi’s cabinet is made up as follows:
  
  • ‪The Prime Minister himself will hold the foreign, health, communications and regional cooperation portfolios.
  • ‪David Azoulay (Shas) – minister of religious services
  • ‪Ze’ev Elkin (Likud) – minister of immigration and absorption, and strategic affairs
  • ‪Ofir Akunis (Likud) – minister (no specific office)
  • ‪Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) – minister of agriculture and rural development
  • ‪Benny Begin (Likud) – minister (no specific office)
  • ‪Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) – minister of education, Jerusalem and diaspora affairs. (Netanyahu notes that any issues related to Jerusalem will be transferred to the Prime Minister’s Office)
  • ‪Avi Gabbay (Kulanu) – minister of environmental protection
  • ‪Yoav Galant (Kulanu) – ministry of housing and construction
  • ‪Gila Gamliel (Likud) – minister of senior citizens and minister of gender equality
  • ‪Danny Danon (Likud) – minister of science, technology and space
  • ‪Aryeh Deri (Shas) – minister of economy
  • ‪Moshe Ya’alon (Likud) – defence minister
  • ‪Yisrael Katz (Likud) – minister of transportation and road safety, and minister of intelligence
  • ‪Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) – minister of finance
  • ‪Haim Katz (Likud) – minister of welfare and social services
  • ‪Yariv Levin (Likud) – minister of tourism and minister of public security
  • ‪Miri regev (Likud) – minister of culture and sports
  • ‪Yuval Steinitz (Likud) – minister of national infrastructure, energy and water
  • ‪Silvan Shalom (Likud) – deputy prime minister and interior minister
  • ‪Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) – ministry of justice
   
  Press reports indicate that Netanyahu is holding on to the foreign affairs portfolio in hopes of possibly enticing the Zionist Union’s Isaac Herzog into the coalition at a later stage – but Herzog made clear that hell would freeze over first.

“Don’t hold on for me”  -HERZOG 

“I advise you Mr Prime Minister not to hold onto the Foreign Ministry, give it tonight to a member of your party … No fair leader would join the Netanyahu circus you have formed at the last moment, at any price, just to stay in power,” said Herzog

He accused Netanyahu of having being “pick pocketed” by his coalition partners, extracting wide-spread concessions.

“You did not form a government, you formed a circus,” Herzog said signing off on the subject.