Israel's Likud party chief Benjamin Netanyahu met with the leaders of his allied right-wing and religious bloc in Jerusalem on Sunday for talks on forming the country’s next government.
However, political sources close to him said the former PM is waiting the results of Tuesday’s US midterm election before deciding on the final lineup of his cabinet.
Netanyahu believes that if the US Republican Party wins, he will have no problem forming a pure right-wing government.
However, if the Democratic Party remains dominant, the incoming PM would need a center party partner, fearing that President Joe Biden will exert pressure on his new government to respect the basic rights of Palestinians and halt settlement policies.
The sources said Netanyahu intends to retain the Ministry of Defense in order to lead future negotiations to expand his government to include Benny Gantz’s party and the United Arab List led by Knesset member Mansour Abbas.
Two of his closest associates are already competing for this portfolio, namely Avi Dichter, a former minister in one of Netanyahu’s governments and former Shin Bet director, and General Yoav Galant, former commander of the Southern Command in the army.
On Sunday, Netanyahu met heads of all the right-wing parties, except for the Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben Gvir, who is on vacation.
The sources said Netanyahu already hinted he would not appoint Ben-Gvir as Defense Minister, upon the latter’s request, but is ready to give his ally the Public Security Ministry.
Netanyahu has pledged that negotiations to form his cabinet would not exceed more than two weeks, however, differences over ministerial positions may last for several weeks.
Last Tuesday, Netanyahu’s bloc won a total of 64 seats out of 120 in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
When official results are published on November 9, President Isaac Herzog will kick off consultations with every party that made it into the Knesset to determine which lawmaker to select as Prime Minister.
He is expected to give Netanyahu the nod.
Netanyahu then has 28 days for negotiations to form a government. If he needs more time, Herzog can grant him a one-time extension of 14 days.
After the incoming PM successfully forms a cabinet, he would present it to parliament for approval.
