Even before the elections: the battle for portfolios has already begun

About three weeks before the elections for the 26th Knesset, parties and politicians are releasing statements about the portfolios they will demand in the next government. Ofer Winter (Am Yisrael) and Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) demand the Defense portfolio; Tali Gottlieb and Yaakov Bardugo demand the Justice portfolio; Yoav Kisch, Adi Altshuler, Merav Cohen, Naama Lazimi, and Avi Maoz demand the Education portfolio; and the Internal Security portfolio is sought by Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Hamed Amar, Yair Golan, Yoav Segalovitz, and Yoram Cohen.

About three weeks before the elections for the 26th Knesset, the declarative battle over portfolios in the next government is at its peak. Ofer Winter, chairman of the Am Yisrael party, stated on 'Weekend News' that he will demand the Defense portfolio and will do everything to obtain it. Itamar Ben Gvir, chairman of Otzma Yehudit, also demanded the Defense portfolio and presented a plan that includes encouraging voluntary emigration from Gaza and the West Bank. The Likud responded that the portfolio will remain in their hands. For the Justice portfolio, contenders include Tali Gottlieb (Otzma Yehudit), Yaakov Bardugo (a Likud insider and Netanyahu associate), and in the opposition, Efrat Rayten and Gilad Kariv (The Democrats). The Education portfolio is sought by incumbent minister Yoav Kisch (Likud), Adi Altshuler (Yashar), Merav Cohen (Beyachad), Naama Lazimi (The Democrats), and Avi Maoz (Noam). The Internal Security portfolio is sought by Yitzhak Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit), Hamed Amar (Yisrael Beiteinu), Yair Golan (The Democrats), Yoav Segalovitz (Ra'am), and Yoram Cohen (Yashar). The article surveys the public statements and internal battles within the parties.