Israel’s Yesh Atid leader, Yair Lapid, who has been tasked with forming a government, on Monday signed his first coalition agreement with the Yisrael Beiteinu party led by Avigdor Lieberman, local media reported.
The two parties said in a joint statement that the agreement grants Lieberman the post of finance minister should Lapid succeed in forming a government.
Gantz dismisses accusations by Lapid, Liberman that Gaza op was politically motivated | The Times of Israel https://t.co/qqeoAfu1Qk
— Dr. Mark P. Barry (@DrMarkPBarry) May 21, 2021
Yisrael Beiteinu will also receive the Negev and Galilee Development Ministry and a third, as yet unknown, cabinet post.
Meanwhile, New Hope leader, Gideon Sa’ar, who is scheduled to meet with Lapid later this week to discuss the formation of the next government is reported to have told Lapid that he will not join any coalition that does not include the New Right party, led by Naftali Bennett.
Israel’s Channel 11 reported that Sa’ar strongly opposes joining a government that includes the Arab-dominated Joint List bloc, but would sit down with the United Arab List headed by Mansour Abbas.
Two new #election polls, the first since the operation in #Gaza, found that Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz have risen in popularity, whereas opinion on Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu remains largely the same.
Report by @IdanzonshineE https://t.co/ZjHFZ7Kmw9
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) May 24, 2021
According to the channel, Sa’ar stressed that he would not submit to pressure to join a government headed by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Earlier on Monday, Lapid vowed to “turn over every rock in order to form a government,” but acknowledged it would be a difficult task.
If Lapid fails to form a government, the mandate will pass to the entire Knesset, which will have 21 days to try to form a coalition or be forced by law to call a fifth election.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
