Right up until the government was sworn in at the Knesset the night of May 14, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his closest advisers believed that former Interior Minister Gilad Erdan would be placated and join the new Cabinet. Netanyahu believed that things would remain as they always had been in his long relationship with Erdan. He believed that even if Erdan had hoped for a more senior appointment, he would accept being named minister of internal security, gaining him access to the Security Cabinet, and minister of strategic affairs. The prime minister’s working assumption was that although Erdan came in first in the recent Likud primaries, he would reach the inevitable conclusion that he would not get the Foreign Ministry, which is on hold for Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog, should a unity government eventually be formed.
But Erdan surprised everyone, including maybe even himself, when he decided on that momentous day to break the pattern of his usual relationship with Netanyahu. He took a gamble that could lead to the end of an impressive political career, but that could also be a political masterstroke, paving the way for him to contend for the Likud leadership at some time in the future.
Instead of the Foreign Ministry, Erdan requested of Netanyahu an expanded Ministry of Internal Security, to include the Interior Ministry. His request was based on a model that can be found in several European countries, in which the minister of internal security is also in charge of the local authorities. He also asked Netanyahu to increase the ministry’s budget, given all the serious corruption charges that the Israeli police forces are now dealing with, and a dearth of manpower. Netanyahu rejected his demands, and Erdan decided to stay out of the government.
Most senior members of the Likud believed as late as May 19 that some formula would eventually be found to allow Erdan to rejoin the government. However, when the new Cabinet members arrived at the president’s house for the traditional photo shoot, they learned that there had been no dramatic plot twist. Erdan was still out. It seemed that this time, the senior Likud member was unwilling to compromise, preferring instead to signal to Netanyahu that the prime minister would have to pay a political price for taking him for granted.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.
