The efforts to keep Deri in Netanyahu's bloc: the special project manager appointed in Likud

Likud fears that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is considering joining a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, and has appointed Yaakov Bardugo as a special project manager to coordinate efforts to keep him in the right-wing bloc. Shas denies any intention to leave.

Likud fears that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is considering joining a move to form a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, and has appointed Yaakov Bardugo as a special project manager to coordinate efforts to keep him in the right-wing bloc. Shas denies any intention to leave the Netanyahu bloc and clarifies that the party remains in the bloc. However, Likud is not satisfied with declarations and is monitoring Deri's conduct. A senior figure in the change bloc said that at this stage there are no serious talks between the sides, but mainly feelers and raising ideas. Deri is following the contacts between United Torah Judaism and Avigdor Lieberman and Eisenkot's people, trying to understand where the talks are heading and what roles might come up. Meanwhile, Lieberman is acting more actively, while Eisenkot is sending conciliatory messages. Also on the conscription issue, significant gaps remain: the change bloc insists on drafting Haredim, while the law the Haredi parties are willing to support grants an exemption from conscription. Eisenkot faces additional obstacles, including Bennett's insistence on advancing the "servants' revolution."