net and other guy
© bluedivine2.blogspot.com"So here's the plan..."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is busy making attempts for a greater share of power in Israel.

On Wednesday, the premier's Likud party signed agreements with two Israeli parties, which would give him control of 46 seats out of the parliament's 120, Israeli media outlets reported. The agreements were signed with the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and the center-right Kulanu parties.

UTJ leader Yakov Litzman (pictured below) confirmed to Israeli media that the party "signed a coalition deal with the Likud".

Yaakov Litzman
© www.christianpress.comRabbi Yaakov Litzman, ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party now in alliance with Likud
In an attempt to grab more seats at the Knesset, Netanyahu's party is still busy negotiating with three other parties, namely the secularist and right-wing nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu, the ultra-orthodox Shas, and the Jewish Home, a Zionist pro-settlement party.

Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett, the current economy minister, has demanded serving as the education minister so as to sign a deal with Netanyahu. Kulanu's leader, Moshe Kahlon, will serve as finance minister while Yisrael Beiteinu's head, Avigdor Lieberman, is expected to remain foreign minister.


Comment: Who are the prime players this go-round?
UTJ is a party of Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox Jews, a reflection of the "haredi" community. With immigration and higher birth rates of the religiously devout, this party is on the rise and growing in numbers. It would be expected that Likud and UTJ throw in together.

Yisrael Beitenu is an ultra-nationalist, secularist party facing corruption scandals, that draws its support from Soviet Union immigrants and headed by Avigdor Lieberman.

Shas is an ultra-orthodox religious party, currently the 7th largest and, of late, siding with the Labor party over the Likud, but has ongoing influence in the governing coalitions.

Jewish Home is a recombinant of the broken National Religious Party, part of which (Moledet) joined National Union. Tkuma, joined Jewish Home and the Ahi faction joined Likud.

Moshe Kahlon, a former Likud minister, is remembered for breaking up cellphone monopolies. Kulanu is a centrist faction.


Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has granted Netanyahu an extension to form a ruling coalition by May 7.

Controlling Israeli media

Netanyahu is also working on a clause in the agreements that would give him more power over the Israeli media.

"Netanyahu wants to terrorize the media and keep it on a short leash. This could cause serious damage to Israeli democracy," a source told Israeli daily Haaretz.

A senior Likud figure also told the daily that the party was planning to devote "a major part of the agreement on media issues. There is no doubt that in the next term we will promote significant reforms in the media market. Not everyone will like this".

On March 17, early elections were held for the 20th Knesset, in which the Likud party won the majority by gaining 30 seats.