Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett is on his way to meet Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the second time Wednesday, after he met with Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid in Lapid's Tel Aviv home.
Bennett is the interlocutor in a crisis between Netanyahu and Lapid that threatens to derail the coalition talks, just as they appear to be near conclusion.
"Hell is breaking loose," a knowledgeable Bayit Yehudi source told Arutz Sheva Wednesday. "Lapid thinks Bibi will fold, but Bibi won't. It's a game of chicken gone wrong."
The main points of contention are Yesh Atid's demand to receive the Education Ministry and Knesset Finance Committee, as well as the roles of MKs Amir Peretz (Tzipi Livni's party) and Shaul Mofaz (Kadima). Lapid wants Mofaz in the government, while Netanyahu does not. He also wants Netanyahu to reopen his agreement with Tzipi Livni and leave Peretz out of the government, while Netanyahu does not want to do this.