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Bidding to expand government, failed Likud-Zionist Union unity talks revealed
Following weeks of speculation, senior political figures appeared to reveal this week that talks had taken place between government and opposition over forming a national unity government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader, Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog reportedly held talks despite Herzog’s office describing rumours of talks as “spin”.
Netanyahu, according to Channel Two this week, said that discussions had taken place, but that they ended owing to the criminal investigation into Herzog’s campaign funding. It has been predicted that the investigation will soon be closed.
Senior Zionist Union leader and former-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also indicated that unity government negotiations had taken place, telling Army Radio, “I was shown things [brought up] in the talks, [but] were not finalised.”
Netanyahu’s 61-member government holds a razor thin one-seat majority in the Knesset and the addition of Zionist Union’s 24 MKs would provide significant breathing space. Netanyahu also appeared to suggest that Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman wants to join the coalition.
Haaretz outlines what it claims was an agreement decided by Netanyahu and Herzog, which would have seen Zionist Union given seven or eight cabinet positions, with a similar number becoming deputy ministers or chairs of Knesset committees. Herzog himself would have apparently become foreign minister and been placed in charge of peace negotiations. Makor Rishon says this morning that Netanyahu had authorised Herzog to convene a regional peace conference as part of the unity deal.
It has also been suggested that Zionist Union would have been handed the justice ministerial portfolio, currently held by Jewish Home’s Ayelet Shaked. Apparently, both Livni and former-Labour leader Shelly Yachimovich both covet the position, which Livni has previously held. According to Haaretz, Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett even went as far as saying “if they take the justice portfolio away, we’re out” of the coalition. Channel Ten reports that Yachimovich would have been offered the position of Economy Minister had a unity agreement been reached.