Netanyahu caves in, slated to give justice portfolio to MK Ayelet Shaked

Netanyahu will present his 61-member coalition to President Reuven Rivlin later today, as midnight deadline to reach agreement looms.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Ayelet Shaked (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST,MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Ayelet Shaked
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST,MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The Likud agreed on Wednesday to a Bayit Yehudi demand to give the justice portfolio to MK Ayelet Shaked, according to Channel 2.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to present his 61-member coalition to President Reuven Rivlin later today, as his effort to form a new government has reached its final day permitted by law. Talks with Bayit Yehudi continued late into the hours of Tuesday night.
By law, if Netanyahu does not form a government by midnight on Wednesday, Rivlin will be required to call upon another MK to form a government or initiate a general election. Rivlin could ask Zionist Union chairman Isaac Herzog or an MK in the Likud to attempt to form a government in the event of a Netanyahu failure.
The prime minister has coalition deals with Kulanu, United Torah Judaism and Shas, which together with the Likud’s 30 lawmakers, make up 53 MKs. He only needs the eight MKs of Bayit Yehudi to reach the required majority of 61 required to form a coalition.