Yediot Ahronot rips into Miri Regev: ‘Netanyahu’s Rottweiler’

In a column released by Yediot Ahronot opinion journalist Sima Kadmon over the weekend, she claimed that Netanyahu trusted just of his closest allies in the Likud with ministerial roles: Yisrael Katz, Miri Regev, Amir Ohana, and Yariv Levin.

“The Likud is rife with the spirit of its commander,” she wrote. “If he wants, there will be a unity [government]. If not, there will be another election. Anyhow [Likud MKs] won’t be getting the good roles. What can I do? I [don’t have much room to maneuver], that’s what Netanyahu will tell them,” Kadmon prophesized.

“Officials in the Likud are aware that Netanyahu has only four commitments he will keep: [Foreign Minister] Yisrael Katz, the political ally, chairman of Netanyahu’s political campaign and chief of staff of the Likud, [Culture and Sport Minister] Miri Regev, Sara [Netanyahu’s] favorite and Netanyahu family Rottweiler, and [Justice Minister] Amir Ohana, who managed to cause chaos in the Prosecutor’s Office within a few months and was definitely entitled to the Outstanding Employee Award.”

According to the Yediot journalist, Netanyahu has no commitments to anyone else within the Likud. “Barkat, Erdan or anyone else in the top ten has no insurance. Once upon a time, anyone elected to the top ten [spots in the Likud] would be guaranteed a ministerial position. Nowadays, Netanyahu isn’t giving them a second thought, especially in a coalition of over 70 MKs.”

Kadmon said that Gideon Sa’ar’s fifth spot on the party list didn’t amount to much. “Is there anyone who believes that Netanyahu will take this into account when forming his government? In all of [his] governments over the past decade, the good portfolios have been handed out to coalition partners. This time there are two partners: Blue and White and [Netanyahu’s allies]. Likud’s 36 seats will not affect the distribution of ministerial portfolios.”

“[Likud party members] aren’t saying anything even though they know that any one of them would have succeeded in establishing a stable right-wing government with Liberman’s [Yisrael Beytenu] and [Derech Eretz MKs] Hendel and Hauser, and Blue and White on the outside looking in [if Netanyahu had stepped down]. They’re paying the price for Netanyahu [remaining in power] but are too weak to do anything about it.”