At least one minister from Defense Minister Benny Gantz's Blue and White party received an offer from MK Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party to join a coalition headed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The offer included a promise of a senior ministry and membership on the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, as well as other positions.
However, despite Smotrich's many attempts, none of Blue and White's MKs agreed to join the Likud-led bloc, preventing it from garnering the support of 61 MKs.
MK Idit Silman (Yamina), who met earlier this week with bereaved parents, told them that if there were two deserters from the anti-Netanyahu bloc, she would be happy to join a right-wing government.
"Senior officials in the Likud and Religious Zionism told me that they want elections," she told the families. Don't you understand that they're fooling you?"
"Netanyahu told us, 'Go to [New Hope Chairman MK Gideon] Sa'ar and bring him,'" she noted. "I don't work for Netanyahu, and none of us work for him. I work for the people of Israel. The Likud is not trying. One time Netanyahu met with Sa'ar. What's he done for a government of change?"
Regarding the government's reliance on the United Arab List (Ra'am), she said: "If you don't want them in the government, tell the haredim and Smotrich to join the government."