The secret contacts of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with opposition chairman Isaac Herzog on his joining the government with his Zionist Camp Knesset faction began immediately following the last elections in March 2015, and have been going on since. Both sides are interested. Netanyahu has been a caretaker foreign minister, saving the job for Herzog. Nonetheless, time after time these contacts end in bitter disappointment for Herzog, who is careful to deny their existence. The most recent report emerged last month, when Channel 2 disclosed that a secret meeting had taken place between the two men at Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea. That reported meeting was also denied, but Herzog seems to have finally understood that the window of opportunity for joining the Netanyahu government is gradually closing.

On Sept. 27, a day after his return from the United States, Netanyahu convened a meeting of the governing coalition’s Knesset factions to deliver routine updates and coordinate positions among the six parties on various issues ahead of the looming Knesset budget votes. Present were the chairman of the Kulanu Party, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon; Shas Party chairman, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri; and Yahadut HaTorah Party chairman, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman. The heads of Netanyahu’s two other government partners — Yisrael Beitenu Party chairman, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, and HaBayit HaYehudi Party chairman, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, were absent.

A senior political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that at one point, Litzman suddenly turned to Netanyahu and asked, “Why aren’t you updating us about talk of a unity government?” Netanyahu responded, “There’s nothing new, but I make no secret of the fact that I want them to join the government.” Litzman was insistent. “Are you sure?” And Netanyahu, rather than move on to the next topic, answered, “Yes, I’m sure, but since you’ve already asked, do you have any objections to the Zionist Camp joining the coalition?” He then went on to ask each of those present whether they would be willing to accept Herzog. All answered in the affirmative.

This might have been viewed as a spontaneous exchange, were it not for the fact that anyone who knows the parties involved, especially Netanyahu himself, understands that there was nothing random in such a conversation between him and the heads of the coalition factions. One cannot completely rule out that Litzman’s question was invited by Netanyahu, as the Zionist Camp suspects. Netanyahu is a crafty old hand at repulsing questions he doesn’t like. In this case, not only did he not ignore Litzman, but he expanded on his question, creating the sense that things were happening behind the scenes. This all took place in the absence of the government’s two right-wing standard bearers: Liberman and Bennett, with the latter possibly having to pay the price and finding himself on the opposition benches if Herzog joins Netanyahu.