Coalition talks collapse as Haredi demand breaks negotiations

Negotiations between the Knesset’s reserves soldiers’ party and the Blue and White faction have broken down, following a dispute over the party’s willingness to sit in government with ultra-Orthodox parties. According to reports, the sticking point came when the reserves party demanded a public commitment that they would not form a coalition with Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties, a condition that proved unacceptable to the other side. The talks, led by a senior figure seeking to broker a political alliance, were unable to overcome this fundamental disagreement about future coalition partnerships. The collapse of these negotiations removes what had been seen as a potential pathway to forming a broader governing coalition in the Israeli parliament. Meanwhile, discussions are continuing between the reserves party and other political figures, including contacts with right-wing politicians and other potential coalition partners. These parallel conversations suggest attempts to build alternative political alignments as various factions manoeuvre ahead of potential government formation talks.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.