Hours before Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's new government is set to be sworn in, the Likud leader began marathon meetings with his party members, listening to their ministerial requests.
According to a Walla! News report, outgoing Interior Minister Gilad Erdan was the first to sit down with Netanyahu, but he left noticeably disappointed.
After reaching first place in Likud's primary, and serving as number two on the party's Knesset List, Erdan was expecting to upgrade his status in the new government.
At their meeting, Netanyahu offered Erdan the public security portfolio as well as the new strategic affairs portfolio, which has been split off from the Intelligence Ministry.
Erdan declined, instead demanding both the interior and public security portfolios, arguing that this combination applied in many countries around the world and would enable him to work more successfully.
Netanyahu outright refused and the two agreed to meet again later on Thursday, though reports have surfaced that Erdan has threatened to leave the government if his demands are not met.
MK Miri Regev, who was adamant abut receiving a ministry position during the campaign for Likud primaries, also met with Netanyahu in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
According to Channel 2, Regev also refused the ministry she was offered, instead demanding something she was more interested in, namely the welfare portfolio.
So far, only Yisrael Katz's status is set, with Netanyahu announcing shortly before midnight that he would remain Transportation Minister. Katz will also take on the Intelligence Ministry and serve as a member of the ministerial political-security cabinet.