MK David Bittton (Likud) made a throwaway comment on Saturday, saying that Minister Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) would do well in the Likud, and if she ran in the Likud primaries she would probably come in first place (below Netanyahu).
This started no small amount of rumors that Netanyhau offered Shaked the slot right below his, and she might be jumping ship to join Likud as Bibi’s #2, abandoning Naftali Bennett. There was even a rumor that Netanyahu wanted to groom Shaked to eventually replace him.
Shaked deflated that bubble by stating outright that she was staying in Bayit Yehudi, and she sees Bennett as the natural heir to Netanyahu.
Still, the idea of Shaked at the top of the Likud list is certainly an intriguing one.
Here at the Muqata we debated what ministry Bibi would give her, and decided it would be the Finance Ministry – first of all to fix all the damage caused by Kahlon, but also because it is Netanyahu’s preferred trial by fire, and a challenge she is likely to pass with flying colors.
We asked each other which party would we vote for – a Likud with Bibi and Shaked at its head? Or Bayit Yehudi, which still better represents our sector and would ensure Bibi stays to the right. We were split on that one – though truth be told, even without Shaked, some of us vote Likud and others Bayit Yehudi, Otzma… etc.
Of course, it’s very likely Shaked may have thought that Netanyahu was trying to pull a Herzog on her, so of course she would turn down the hypothetical offer – proving even more definitively, that she is the right person for the job.
One thing we all agreed on is that a Likud with Shaked as #2 would easily break 40 seats and she would do some amazing things.
We can certainly see her as the next Prime Minister of Israel.
Feel free to put together your Knesset dream team below.