Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reached out to two Joint Arab List MKs, offering them government positions in exchange for support in forming a new coalition, according to a report by Al-Jarida.
The report in the Kuwait-based paper claimed that Natan Eshel, a close confidant of Netanyahu, met with Joint Arab List MKs Ahmed Tibi and Osama Saadi, both members of the Joint Arab List’s Ta’al faction.
During the meeting, Eshel reportedly offered the two a pair of positions in exchange for helping Netanyahu form a new government. The positions are said to have included Minister for Arab Affairs and Deputy Minister for Combating Violence in the Arab Sector.
The two reportedly said they would seriously consider the offer.
After the report’s publication, however, the Ta’al faction released a statement denying the claims.
“It is a false report which is not even worth responding to.”
Earlier on Friday Reshet Bet reported that MK Tibi refused to commit to backing legislation aimed at replacing Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of the Likud.
“We know the bill from last time, and then as well we said that we would consider it seriously. Not everything is automatic, we have demands,” Tibi said.