As a result of the deadlock in coalition negotiations between Likud and the Blue & White party, the chareidi parties have given Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu the green light to begin talks with Avigdor Lieberman in his capacity as chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu party.

Despite Lieberman’s vehemently anti-chareidi campaign, the chareidi leaders were wise enough never to announce they would not enter into a coalition with Lieberman, saving that title for one MK and one only, MK Yair Lapid, the chairman of the Yesh Atid party and who holds the second slot on the Blue & White Knesset list.

PM Netanyahu has signaled he remains loyal to his right-wing bloc, which includes Yemina, Shas and Yahadut Hatorah, and Mr. Netanyahu will now see if there is room for discussion with Lieberman in the hope of establishing a right-wing government. The major stumbling block is that Lieberman announced he envisions a broad-base liberal national unity coalition government with Likud and Blue & White, to the exclusion of the religious and chareidi parties. During his campaign he boasted he will bring about a government run by state law and not halacha.

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The prime minister on Wednesday met with heads of the chareidi parties, including Yaakov Litzman and Moshe Gafne, who gave the green light to Mr. Netanyahu to begin talks with Lieberman in the hope of a miracle.

Regarding the Blue & White party, Netanyahu and Blue & White leaders are exchanging blows as to who is responsible for the collapse in talks. Likud blames Lapid’s influence on party leader MK Benny Gantz, while Blue & White insists Likud is simply posturing for the media and is not at all serious about a coalition including the parties.

The prime minister has also agreed he remains loyal to his right-wing bloc, and that includes Shas as well. They are hoping to somehow remove MK Lapid from the picture, with the desire to speak with Gantz alone, without Lapid’s involvement. It has also been decided that Mr. Netanyahu will not speak with Blue & White for as long as Lapid remains, for the chareidim are unwilling to enter into a coalition with him. The more likely scenario is Mr. Netanyahu will return the presidential mandate to form a coalition to President Rivlin, and it does not appear he will succeed in forming a coalition.

Interestingly, Lieberman on Wednesday afternoon announced that even if there are elections for a third time, little will change in Israel and therefore, they are compelled to find a solution. He added that if progress in talks is not reported by Yom Kippur, he will then announce his plan towards the creation of a coalition government.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)