Hendel and Shaked
Hendel and ShakedYonatan Sindel and Olivier Fitoussi./ Flash 90

The negotiating teams from the Yamina and Derech Eretz parties met Tuesday night to formulate an agreement ahead of a joint run for the next Knesset.

Agreements were reached on most issues, and the sides reported that they are close to signing. The teams will meet again on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who heads Yamina, and Communications Miniser Yoaz Hendel, who heads Derech Eretz, are expected to make an official announcement Wednesday evening regarding the joint run.

In a statement, the two said, "We are making the greatest efforts to close loose ends as quickly as possible, so that we will be able to bring a new spirit to Israel."

Estimates say that Hendel and Derech Eretz's MK Zvi Hauser will be integrated into the list led by Shaked, and the two parties will choose a new name for themselves. As part of the negotiations, Hendel demanded and received a system for making decisions jointly in the new party.

According to Kan Reshet Bet, Shaked and Hendel needed to reach agreements regarding the party's position on cooperation with Likud leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu. While Shaked wanted to announce that the new party would form a right-wing government and join a Netanyahu-led coalition, Hendel wanted the goal to be the formation of a unity government and refusal to sit with Netanyahu.

In the end, each of the sides compromised on one of those points: Shaked compromised on her vision of a narrow, right-wing government, and in exchange she received Hendel's agreement to sit in a Netanyahu-led government. Hendel, meanwhile, compromised on his insistence that he would not join a government led by Netanyahu, but received Shaked's agreement to aim for the formation of a unity government.

The joint party will therefore underline their ability to act as a bridge between Netanyahu and the Likud, and Blue and White and Yesh Atid, allowing the formation of a unity government.

Shaked is expected to be listed in the party's top spot, with Hendel in its second spot. Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana (Yamina) will be third on the list, while Hauser is expected to be placed fourth. Shaked will also seek to bring in figures from Religious Zionism, in order to increase the party's appeal to that sector.