Habayit Hayehudi leader Rafi Peretz announced Thursday that he would be breaking from the Yamina faction and joining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Currently the education minister, Peretz was reportedly promised the role of Jerusalem Affairs minister. He will also head national projects, sources privy to the move told Israel Hayom.
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The national-religious faction comprising Habayit Hayehudi, the National Union, and New Right parties, was formed ahead of the 2019 general elections with the aim of ensuring all three parties pass the four-seat electoral threshold and as part of the national-religious sector's desire to shore up Likud in any coalition talks. It won six Knesset seats in the March 2020 elections.
Peretz's decision comes only hours before the Likud-Blue and White government is slated to be sworn, and on the heels of the failed coalition talks between Likud and Yamina.
On Sunday, Yamina announced that it will be joining the benches of the opposition in the coming Knesset, where it will be "preparing for the day after Netanyahu."
The faction claimed throughout the coalition talks that despite being a pivotal part of the right-wing bloc, Likud has failed to offer it any of the major government portfolios.
A statement issued by Peretz's office said the decision stemmed from the fact that "he believes in the new government and want to promote unity.
Earlier, Yamina leader Naftali Bennett slammed Netanyahu for "scorning Yamina" and trying to break it up and "get rid of it."
Likud officials accused Bennett of acting petulantly: "If Bennett was given the Health portfolio he would have praised this as the Right's 'dream government,'" one official said.
"Bennett didn't get what he wants so he decided to drag his faction into the opposition. The 'Bennett era' [as an influential MK] is over," he stated.
On Wednesday, Gesher head Orly Levy-Abekasis signs coalition deal with Likud, cementing her position in Netanyahu's new government.
Levy-Abekasis will be named Community Affairs minister, according to the deal. Gesher's platform focuses on social issues, and the ministry was tailored to Levy-Abekasis' demands.
