Report: Netanyahu to Offer Sa’ar Attractive Package to Join Gov’t

The Likud is planning to offer New Hope Party chairman Gideon Sa’ar an attractive package in exchange for him joining a right-wing government led by Binyamin Netanyahu, Channel 12 News reported on Friday.

According to the report, Sa’ar will be offered the role of Deputy Prime Minister, the role of the Speaker of the Knesset will be offered to his party member MK Ze’ev Elkin, and he will also be offered many other ministerial portfolios.

This comes after Netanyahu openly called on Sa’ar to join the other right-wing and religious parties to form a stable right-wing government during an event in Ramat Gan on Friday. Netanyahu’s hopes of convincing Religious Zionist Party leader Betzalel Smotrich to form a minority government backed by the Ra’am party appear to be waning and his comments on Friday indicate a renewed focus on getting Sa’ar, a former Likud MK and minister, to return to the pro-Netanyahu bloc.

“The State of Israel needs a strong nationalist government, a stable right-wing government, that will last for years,” said Netanyahu.

“I call on Naftali Bennett, Betzalel Smotrich and Gideon Sa’ar to put all considerations aside, and let’s establish the nationalist, right-wing government which the State of Israel is so in need of,” he continued. “I call on Gideon Sa’ar: The Likud is your home, you grew up in this home, you will be received with open arms. This is not the time to establish a left-wing government. Come join us and we will establish together a stable, right-wing government to guarantee our future in our land.”