Report From Israel: Negotiations for New Government Kick Into High Gear

Negotiations by incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got going in earnest on Thursday. To start things off, Moshe Kahlon, head of the Kulanu party who has already secured an appointment as Finance Minister in the new cabinet, cancelled plans to meet with Likud representatives. The announcement was in protest against reports that Netanyahu had expressed willingness Wednesday night to give MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) the chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee and Shas leader Arye Deri the chairmanship of the Interior Ministry’s construction planning authority. Kahlon told reporters the move was a premature Likud “political maneuver to hand out jobs at the expense of providing the needed tools to bring down housing costs and deal with the cost of living.” A Likud statement called Kahlon’s actions confusing and unnecessary. Read More