With ongoing coalition negotiations, and frenzied talk about the ministries the government's various coalition partners will be taking, many Likud MKs have expressed concern there will be nothing left over for them.
Some of the prime jobs – so far Finance Minister, which has been given to Moshe Kahlon, but also Education Minister and Foreign Minister, which are likely to be assigned to Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman, respectively – are already out of the party's orbit.
But a Likud source promised there was nothing to worry about.
“Netanyahu has accomplished something unique, bringing in 30 seats despite the unceasing attacks on him and his family in the media," the source stated. "Even now the Prime Minister is fighting to retain at least 12 ministries for Likud MKs, all of which are essential to the development of the state.”
According to the source, the ministries Netanyahu is reserving for Likud include: Tranportation, Justice, Interior, Energy and National Infrastructures, Public Security, Welfare, Communications, Tourism, and others.
Several of the Likud's current ministers – Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz – will remain in their positions. Gilad Erdan will remain Interior Minister, and Yuval Steinitz will become Justice Minister. Silvan Shalom is also expected to remain in a ministry.
Other ministerial candidates include Likud MKs Ofir Akunis, Ze'ev Elkin, Yariv Levin, Danny Danon, Tzipi Hotovely, Gila Gamliel, Haim Katz, Ayoub Kara, Benny Begin, Tzachi Hanegbi, Miri Regev, and Avi Dichter.
“It is natural that coalition partners would have demands,” said the Likud source. “That is the way our system works. This is also why Netanyahu plans to work intensely on changing the method of rule, to make it easier for large parties to form governments.”