Bennett and Shaked meet to discuss latest political developments
After the New Right did not cross the electoral threshold, Bennett was expecting to take a break from politics, while Shaked was sought by multiple parties.
By GIL HOFFMANNew Right co-leaders Naftali Bennett (R) and Ayelet Shaked (L) enter a press conference in Tel Aviv, March 17th, 2019(photo credit: MOR ALONI/MAARIV)
Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who led the New Right Party ahead of the April 9 election, met at Bennett’s office in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to discuss recent political developments, spokesmen for the ministers said.Sources close to the ministers said after the meeting that nothing has been decided yet about their political futures. They said options include Shaked running on a reserved slot in the Likud, her running with the Union of Right-Wing Parties, and both of them running again with New Right.“They remain friends and meet weekly, but this meeting attracted more attention because of the political developments,” a source close to one of the ministers said. “It’s too soon to know what will happen.”After the New Right failed to cross the electoral threshold, Bennett was expecting to take a break from politics, while Shaked was sought by multiple parties.Shaked gave her permission to a Likud activist to start building a camp for her in the party. In recent days, mediators have been working on persuading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, to permit Shaked to run with the Likud if there is a repeat election. The mediators include current Likud MKs and Netanyahu’s former chief of staff, Natan Eshel.Likud MK Nir Barkat expressed hope in an interview on Wednesday morning with 103 Radio that Bennett, who like Barkat was a successful venture capitalist, will be allowed to run with the Likud.
