The Calcalist newspaper reported Sunday morning that the investor who is negotiating to receive the option to buy the controlling shares in the El Al company is national religious yeshiva student Eli Rosenberg.
Rosenberg is an American with Israeli citizenship. He is managing the contacts on behalf of his family business. His father, Naftali, is a businessman who oversees many real estate sites in the US, including several hotels. Naftali is reportedly behind the attempt to acquire Israel's national airline, but cannot do so himself as he is not an Israeli citizen.
The negotiations are far from concluded as the government continues efforts to rescue El Al from the financial crisis it has faced during the coronavirus pandemic
El Al is scheduled to receive a $250 million loan on a 75% state guarantee, along with an additional $150 million in equity.
The State has also promised to purchase the shares in the company which the public does not buy and could thereby become the majority shareholder in El Al.