By, Anshel Pfeffer
1 min read
Much to Benjamin Netanyahu’s frustration, the Israeli election’s other two main winners, Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, looked set to forge a pact over the national service law this week, making it very difficult for the Likud leader’s favoured partner, Shas, to enter the government.
Mr Netanyahu is well known to be against having Naftali Bennett, head of what is now the Knesset’s third-largest party, in a coalition, partly due to tensions left over from the days when Mr Bennett was his chief of staff.
Mr Bennett’s probable deal with Mr Lapid — who heads the Knesset’s second-largest party — means that Mr Netanyahu may be forced to accommodate Mr Bennett in government.
Aside from fact that national service for Charedim seems set to be pushed hard by a linked-up Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi, another factor that will make it hard for Shas and the second strictly Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism, to enter the coalition is Yesh Atid’s intention to demand two key positions currently held by these parties — the Housing Ministry and chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee. Both positions have been identified as key for diverting funds and benefits to the Charedim, and Yesh Atid has vowed to end these policies.
