Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with MKs Yakov Litzman and Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism, and the parties agreed in principle that the party will chair the Knesset Finance Committee and will receive the health ministry portfolio. The matter has not yet been signed, and negotiations between the parties will take place tomorrow.
The meeting between the three was described as a preparation for formal negotiations between the prime minister and the party. The negotiation teams will meet tomorrow. The two have held these positions in the past: Gafni is expected to return the role of chairman of the Finance Committee, and Litzman is expected to again head the Ministry of Health. Other than United Torah Judaism, Kulanu party leader Moshe Kahlon is also interested in heading the Finance Committee.
Sources close to Gafni added that in the meeting, Netanyahu said that he would be happy to see them in the roles that they had served the public in the past, but emphasized that it was not possible to commit to anything in the meeting: “Nothing will be finalized until we have received the remaining demands in the coalition negotiations.”
Netanyahu met yesterday with Yisrael Beitenu party leader Avigdor Liberman for the first time since the elections. A source informed as to the details of the meeting said, “This was a good meeting, which dealt with a number of matters, including the formation of the government.”
Netanyahu also met with Kulanu party leader Moshe Kahlon. A source informed of the details of the meeting said that Netanyahu told Kahlon that he intends to fulfill his campaign promise, and to appoint him minister of finance. However, the two did not finalize anything.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 25, 2015
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