Only three days before the end of the mandate to form a government and the beginning of an extension from the president, Netanyahu is about to deal with the real headache that remains in the Likud party: the division of the portfolios.
The prime minister-designate last night summoned senior Likud officials to his office in the Knesset.
The first to enter the office was Eli Cohen, followed by Galant, Amir Ohana, Yoav Kish, Nir Barkat, Miri Regev, Miki Zohar, Avi Dichter, Shlomo Karai, Israel Katz and Shlomo Karai.
During the evening Dodi Amsalem and Chaim Katz also arrived in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu did not tell the MKs what positions they would hold and mainly heard about their wishes.
The real story revolves around internal competition in the ruling party: more than ten MKs see themselves as the new leaders in light of their high position in the primaries, and demand portfolios accordingly. In contrast, stand the veterans and the powerful in the Likud institutions. Although these have deteriorated down the list in the primaries, they see themselves as having Seniority and experience for a senior position All this happens when there are not enough senior offices left for the Likud, after the coalition negotiations with the partnership.
Yoav Galant.
The next defense minister?, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The starting assumption is that Netanyahu is interested in domestic silence and not developing an internal opposition, as happened to him with Sa'ar and Elkin in the past, both senior Likud officials who left the party in anger.
Therefore, he will try as much as possible to reduce the number of people who will remain unsatisfied, understanding that there is no scenario where everyone goes out with all their desires in hand.
The main problem facing him is the group of Israel Katz, Dodi Amsalem, David Bitan and Danny Danon.
The impression around Netanyahu is that they are working together, so the prime minister-designate will have to please at least one or two to avoid domestic opposition.
MK Dodi Amsalem. Will he get a position?, Photo: Noam Rivkin Fenton
About 17-18 ministerial and Knesset Speaker positions remain for the ruling party subject to further changes and splits: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice, the Speaker of the Knesset, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Tourism , the Ministry of Social Equality, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Culture and Sports which may be split, the Ministry of Intelligence, the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the Ministry of Diaspora.
The leading candidates
Although there are many cases, the problem in Likud is the senior cases.
In the ruling party, the positions are divided into three categories: the first: foreign affairs, defense, justice and Knesset speaker; the second: education, transportation, energy, economy, media and culture and sports; all the rest are considered junior portfolios.
The leading candidates for the foreign portfolio: Amir Ohana and Ron Dermer, whose name is still mentioned despite the reports that his candidacy was dropped from the episode.
Israel Katz also wants this portfolio or the economy portfolio.
MK Amir Ohana. On his way to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The leading candidate for the Ministry of Justice is Yariv Levin, while the leading candidate for the security portfolio is Yoav Galant.
There is a serious battle going on for the speaker of the Knesset. Dodi Amsalem wants the position, and there is a probability that Netanyahu will want to satisfy him in order to avoid problems in the future.
However, this is a position that requires a great deal of trust between the candidate and the Prime Minister, and recently Amsalam has clashed with Netanyahu.
Other candidates are Ofir Akunis, who is supported by officials in Netanyahu's office, and Yoav Kish, who is supported by Yariv Levin.
Danny Danon is also interested in the position, and stated that he will run for it in secret elections in the Likud faction.
If Ohana does not serve as Foreign Minister, it is estimated that he will prevail over the other candidates and be appointed Speaker of the Knesset. Likud officials claim that Levin is also a natural option, if Netanyahu so desires.
Israel Katz, photo: Dodi Vaaknin
Likud officials claim that Barkat is targeting the education portfolio or the economy portfolio.
However, it appears that the education and transportation portfolios are mainly contested by Eli Cohen and Miri Regev.
It is estimated that one of them will serve in education and the other in transportation.
Besides Barkat and Israel Katz, Shlomo Karai is also interested in the Ministry of Economy.
The candidate for the Ministry of Culture and Sports, which in previous Likud governments was a focus of turmoil, is Miki Zohar.
Haim Katz wants the tourism portfolio.
As mentioned, the cases have not been closed, and it is mainly about the wishes of the MKs. Netanyahu can make unexpected changes and assignments.
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