And there's more. United Torah Judaism put the Knesset's Finance Committee on the table, plus the health portfolio.
That Finance Committee chairmanship is looking to have a potential to be a back breaker. Likud has no fewer than four interested parties lined up wanting it. Though to be fair, Kulanu is the only party saying that getting it is critical for setting up a coalition.
Shas? The religious party. Yeah, headed by Aryeh Mahlouf Deri who is a convicted felon connected to corruption.
Only in Israel would you have a religious party headed by a felon.
Here's Netanyahu.
At the end of Passover he sounded sensible laying out the tasks at hand:
“First, the unity of the people – this is reflected in its funding, the dust of the election has already settled, and we should strengthen the unity among the citizens and people of Israel.
Secondly, the welfare of the people – we are committed to continuing accelerated economic development for the State of Israel, but this must be accompanied by an even lower cost of living, especially housing prices, and for this purpose, we should increase supply, increase the supply in many many ways – and we will. We promised to do it and it will be the first mission of the government that I will set up with God’s help speedily in our days. “
Of course the cost of living has increased substantially in recent years. Housing prices at Tel Aviv have tripled.
The man lies.
And you know what? Everybody over there at the Big Table in Israel knows that the man lies.
Kulanu's Moshe Kahlon is focused 100% on reworking the Israeli housing market, which means getting control of the Finance Ministry, the Knesset Finance committee, and the offices that handle approvals. He and his party insist on controlling the whole of that system.
And that's where the most of Netanyahu's overpromising is coming home to roost.
It's the economy, stupid !!
Anybody here alive back 1992 ??? Seen the movie? (From James Carville. His original post-it said: "The economy, stupid.")
Well, it's the economy in Israel in 2015 too. And with at least five government positions overpromised, all connected to the economy, getting a government together is proving interesting. Likud has another couple weeks to get a majority together -- total of 42 days from the March 17th election.
It's also the Iran Deal
Helluva choice for Kahlon, Zionist Union and Friends. They have to know by now that this is an excellent deal for Israel, a route to long term safety. Forming a government at this point leads to two options:
-- Go with Netanyahu. He's a paranoid. Instead of recognizing what Israel's experts say, that the Iran deal is the best practical means to avoid nuclear proliferation.
-- Go with Arab-Israelis. The alternative to a Likud coalition is a collection of parties that includes the Joint List group -- a ticket that features the three main Arab parties along with one Jewish-and-Arab party.
-- A "unity" coalition with Likud and Zionist Union (formerly Labor) sharing power.
The Iran deal offers 25 years of certain non-proliferation and permanent commitments from Iran to remain a non-nuclear state.
We don't expect that to influence the goof-balls in America's Republican Party. Their only observable talent is bad mouthing Democrats. But the President of Israel ??? That deal with Iran is a matter of survival compared to seeing Iran at risk at some point of falling over to a government controlled by the 1% of their elite that's lost in hating Jews and Israel.
Helluva government for Israel, eh?
The crazy man XOR Arab-Israelis ??? Or a mishmash of enemies? Them's the choices. After the March 17th election, what a mess. Putting together a 61-or-more seat coalition in the Knesset is that warped ??? You betcha.
It's not quite a Reality Soap Opera like the Kardashians. They ain't got O.J. Simpson hiding out in the Encino house right after the two murders. And there ain't no Kim's Big Butt jokes.
But damn, it's fun to watch.