Kahlon and Netanyahu in better times
Kahlon and Netanyahu in better timesFlash 90

If Kulanu is unwilling to be more flexible on its terms of entering Prime Minister's Binyamin Netanyahu's fourth government, Likud may sign agreements with other parties before it, a senior official warned Wednesday night. 

"We wanted Kulanu to the be the first party we signed a deal with," the official explained. "It's only natural that Moshe Kahlon, who is expected to Finance Minister, will be involved in our economic agreements with other parties." 

"But Kulanu's negotiating doesn't seem to understand this and refuses to be flexible with its demands," the official charged. 

After coalition talks with Likud on Wednesday, Kulanu announced they wanted the Finance, Housing, and Environmental ministries, as well as the chairmanship of the Finance Committee, and control of the Israel Lands Administration and the National Planning Commission.

Likud, in response, called the requirements of the ten-strong party excessive.

Noting that Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism has already been offered the chairmanship of the Finance Committee, Likud wondered why Kulanu is "still insisting on this position instead of moving forward."

Kulanu refused to withdraw the demand, arguing, "the Kulanu party continues to insist on the necessary tools to implement reform and treat the high cost of living and the housing crisis."

"In a situation like this, we definitely don't intend to wait for them," the Likud official noted, adding that the party "will sign agreements with the haredi parties and Yisrael Beytenu" first if they have to. 

"This means Kahlon will only discover after the fact what the financial obligations are [to these parties,] and there are many," the official warned. 

Despite the warning, and the lack of significant progress made in navigating a coalition deal Wednesday, both Likud and Kulanu reported the meeting had a good atmosphere.