Likud set for 'world war' over portfolios

Dermer set to stay in Washington til US election, taking away plum post in crowded Likud

By GIL HOFFMAN
Knesset meeting to pass bills to create coalition government on May 6, 2020 (photo credit: ADINA WALLMAN)
Knesset meeting to pass bills to create coalition government on May 6, 2020
(photo credit: ADINA WALLMAN)
The shortage of portfolios for Likud ministers in the next government has caused a “world war” among the ministerial hopefuls in the party, a current Likud minister told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday night.
There are 15 Likud ministers in the outgoing government. But there will be no more than 10 in the next one and if Yamina joins, only eight.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to compensate Likud ministers who will leave the cabinet with posts as ambassadors in Washington, London and the United Nations.
But ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer will not be leaving until after the November election in the US, and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is set to become prime minister in November 2021 and appoint his own ambassador in Washington.
The competition in Likud became even harder when Netanyahu promised a portfolio to Gesher leader Orly Levy-Abecassis, who will be joining the coalition. No meeting has been set for Sunday between Netanyahu and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett to determine his party’s fate, and Likud sources said splitting Yamina and having part of it join remains possible.
A Yamina spokesman said "Netanyahu is trying to kick us out." A Likud official responded that Yamina's problem was internal, among four would-be ministers for two posts, and that remaining outside the government that is about to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria would irresponsible.
The questions of whether Yamina will enter the coalition and what portfolios Blue and White will trade for the Health Ministry are set to be decided by Monday, because coalition agreements must be submitted 48 hours before a government is sworn in, and Netanyahu promised Gantz that the swearing-in will take place on Wednesday.
The only posts set in Likud are Israel Katz as finance minister and Yariv Levin as Knesset speaker. Justice Minister Amir Ohana is expected to become public security minister, leaving former Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein, Culture Minister Miri Regev and current public security minister Gilad Erdan fighting over the Transportation portfolio and the Education Ministry if Yamina does not join.
Ministers Tzipi Hotovely and Ophir Akunis want to remain in the cabinet but both are candidates to be ambassadors, with Hotovely seen as a good fit for the UN and Akunis for London. MKs Gideon Sa’ar and Nir Barkat are not expected to receive portfolios, despite being among the Likud’s Top 10 candidates on the party list.
Netanyahu will not start giving out portfolios until Tuesday and Gantz will start Monday. Gantz already met with the MKs in his party and asked them about their expectations.
It is already clear that Gantz will be defense minister, Gabi Ashkenazi foreign minister and Avi Nissenkorn justice minister. MK Yoaz Hendel is set to be communications minister, Chili Tropper culture minister and Michael Biton requested the Tourism portfolio.
Labor MKs Amir Peretz and Itzik Shmuli will be economy minister and social welfare minister.
Gantz wrote on Facebook Friday that unless new problems arise, the worst political crisis in the nation’s history will be over this week, and Israel will finally have a new government. He insisted the government that is set to be sworn in Wednesday has the right checks and balances, would safeguard democracy and protect the rule of law.
“The unity government that will be established despite all the difficulties is necessary to heal Israeli society,” Gantz wrote. “We need an emergency government to help the million unemployed people and to deal with the medical danger that still hovers and could return.”
He promised that the government would serve all sectors of the population and those requiring economic assistance due to the impact of the coronavirus.
“This will not be the government of my dreams, especially its expected size,” he said. “This apparently will also not be the dream government of Netanyahu. But at the end of the day, the people wanted and needed unity. The time has come to put everything aside and focus on the good of the State of Israel.”