The leaders of the right-wing bloc are continuing to attempt to solve the jigsaw puzzle of forming a right-wing government and plans on pushing the elements which are preventing such a government from being formed.
The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that over the next week, the work of pressuring the leaders of the parties which are refusing to join Netanyahu will be divided as follows: Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is responsible for exerting pressure on Gideon Sa'ar, Yaakov Litzman was asked to put pressure on Bezalel Smotrich, and Moshe Gafni was asked to focus his efforts on Ze'ev Elkin.
The idea is to address each holdout and their concerns individually.
Despite the efforts, the assumption is that no matter what is offered to him - Gideon Sa'ar does not intend to join such a government and therefore, the possibility of forming a Likud government with Bennett, Smotrich and the haredim with the possibility of outside external support is still on the table - despite Smotrich's strong opposition to a government which relies on the support of the United Arab List.
The Likud claims that "the ball for forming a right-wing government is in the hands of Smotrich and Bennett. Once they put everything aside, they will not climb high trees and hold themselves back with promises, we will form a right-wing government."
Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett made it clear to the Likud last week that he is not an obstacle to the formation of a right-wing government which relies on outside support, even from the UAL, and that if Smotrich joins such a government Bennett would join as well.
The Religious Zionism has been adamant in its opposition to the formation of a government which includes the UAL in any form. Smotrich told Israel Hayom: "Not from the outside, not from the inside, not maybe, not definitely, not directly and not indirectly. We will vote against any cooperation with [Mansour] Abbas. It will not stand and will not be."
Smotrich's party is furious at the pressure which is being exerted on them in this matter. "By what right are we pressured to give up such an important and substantial issue as relying on terrorists and supporters of terrorism? This is not a matter of breaking a promise or unwillingness to get our hands dirty, it is an ideological matter. If we now agree to rely on supporters of terrorism, we will lose our grip on the State of Israel. The left will form governments with them for the next forty years, they will make achievements and receive double seats in the next election, this cannot happen on our watch."