The agreement between Smotrich and Ben Gvir came after a week of intense talks through Yoav Kish who was the envoy on behalf of Netanyahu for the talks.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu called Yoav Kish and told him that everything should be done to unite Ben Gvir and Smotrich.
Netanyahu wanted to achieve two main things - to avoid the risk that one of them would not pass, and in addition to run his own aggressive campaign without fearing that it would come at the expense of one of these parties.
Since many photographers gathered in front of Netanyahu's house in Caesarea, the meeting was held at the house of Netanyahu's neighbor, Ben Gabir was called to the meeting at short notice and the main beneficiaries were four of Ben Gabir's children who were with him on Friday and when the meeting was called the children were in the pool.
After talks on Wednesday and Thursday, the agreed outline was closed.
On Friday, Smotrich was called to Caesarea and there he was shown the plan and Netanyahu and Levin pressured him to accept it.
After Smotrich was convinced, Ben Gabir was called.
Ben Gvir with Smotrich, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The talks lasted about two hours, during which Smotrich agreed to give Ben Gvir the seventh place, which was at the center of the controversy. Ben Gvir agreed to give the financing unit for the Knesset member in tenth place to Smotrich.
It was important for Smotrich to put the sitting MKs in realistic places. The burden of proof is on Ben Gabir who received the ninth and tenth place.
Ben Gvir, for his part, received the three things he insisted on - half and half in the list, the opening of the ranks by placing Almog Cohen, a man who does not wear a kippah from the periphery, in seventh place, and an agreement not to speak in one list but on a technical block, on the party's note it will be written "religious Zionism led by Smotrich And Otzma Yehudit led by Ben Gabir."
fish to sit
One of the most important points in the signed agreement is that Smotrich gave up seventh place.
Ben Gvir, for his part, gave up a funding unit - the MK in tenth place will belong to Ben Gvir, but the money will go to Smotrich. Smotrich took care of the MKs elected in the primaries.
In addition, Ben Gvir took the burden of proof on him (to insert his 9th and 10th place. Likud, for its part, gained the ability to conduct an aggressive campaign without fearing that one of the parties would not pass the blocking percentage.
The outcome of the negotiations is much more surprising than ours.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu called Yoav Kish and explained to him that a union between the parties is a reality.
The next day, Kish had talks with Ben Gabir and Smotrich.
On Thursday, Netanyahu, together with Knesset member Kish and Knesset member Yariv Levin put together the outline for the union.
But the main drama unfolded on Friday when Netanyahu summoned MK Smotrich to him and convinced him to accept the outline. MK Ben Gabir arrived in Caesarea, for a meeting held at Netanyahu's neighbor's house, at three o'clock, just a few hours before Shabbat.
Ben Gvir arrived at the place with his four children, after planning to spend the day comforting mourners and touring the market.
The kids had a much more enjoyable day wading in the pool.
During the last talks on the agreement, Ben Gabvir asked Netanyahu if he had prepared spicy fish for Shabbat, in case the talks were to be held this evening and Ben Gabvir would be "stuck" with the opposition chairman after the Sabbath. Finally, the parties signed at half past five and Ben Gabvir had time to return to his home shortly before the beginning of the Sabbath. the Sabbath
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