Former IDF chief of staff and former foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi has been offered a reserved spot on the Likud slate, including a place among the party’s top five candidates, as efforts continue to persuade him to join the party ahead of the election.

Kan News reported Sunday evening that Ashkenazi has rejected approaches to join Likud over the past two months. Over the past 24 hours, however, efforts to convince him have intensified while he is abroad.

As part of the latest push, Ashkenazi was offered a position within the first five places on the Likud list and would be positioned as the party’s senior security figure.

The effort comes as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu works to finalize Likud’s reserved slots ahead of the deadline for submitting party lists. Ashkenazi has so far declined the offers made to him and did not respond to Kan News’ report.

Ashkenazi previously served as the IDF’s 19th chief of staff and later entered politics with Blue and White, serving as foreign minister.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)