Israel's Next Government: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen?

Half of the ministers in Israel next Knesset are expected to receive a government position.

Yuval Karni and Itamar Eichner report in Yediot Acharonoth:

"Israel's 32nd government, which will be headed by Netanyahu and evidently will be sworn in this coming Tuesday, is expected to be the second largest in the nation's history.

Twenty-seven ministers are expected to serve (12 from the Likud, 5 from Labor, 5 from Yisrael Beiteinu, 4 from Shas, and 1 from the Jewish Home) as well as six deputy ministers (2 from the Likud, 2 from Labor, 1 from Shas and 1 from Yisrael Beiteinu.) In total this amounts to 33 ministers and deputy ministers within a coalition of 69 MKs. In other words: nearly one out of every two coalition members will have a post in the government.

In the course of nation's history only one government was larger: Sharon's first government which existed between 2001 and 2003 in which there were 30 ministers. However Sharon's government was a broad national unity government and the coalition was compromised of no less than 92 MKs. Therefore, as far as the ratio between coalition members and government members is concerned--Netanyahu's is expected to break the all time record.

"Everywhere else in the world, governments are shrinking. In our case the coalition shrinks but the government expands. What a waste." This was the criticism voiced by none other than prime minister elect Binyamin Netanyahu while serving as opposition chairman in the course of Olmert's government. Yesterday during a Likud faction meeting Netanyahu sounded somewhat different: "Unity requires concessions," he told his fellow party members, "and in this case it also required that our
faction pay no small price."

More politicians have received lucrative positions but not everyone is happy.

Merav David wrote in today's Ma'ariv:

"This will be a weekend of nail biting," a senior Likud member said candidly yesterday. A month and a half have passed since the elections, and practically none of them know which job he or she is to get in the next government. Netanyahu is expected to appoint a great deal of people to only a handful of senior positions, with two of the major dilemmas being Silvan Shalom and Moshe Yaalon.

Netanyahu is aware of the stress felt by the future ministers. Yesterday at the opening of the party faction meeting, he decided to address this matter and to sooth the tensions, after senior members accused him of a portfolio clearance sale following the agreement with Labor. "Likud faction members are showing much maturity as well as great national and personal restraint, the likes of which are unknown to Israeli politics," said Netanyahu, "I know it's tough. Unity requires concessions and the faction must pay no small price for this."