Rafi Peretz
Rafi PeretzFlash 90

Blue and White's MKs Yehiel Tropper and Yoaz Hendel on Tuesday met with Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz (United Right), offering him to join the coalition that their chairman, MK Benny Gantz, is trying to form.

In exchange for his agreement to break away from the 55-MK bloc, Rabbi Peretz was offered the opportunity to continue as Education Minister, and a compromise was offered in which during the first stage, there would be no haredi MKs in the government.

Rabbi Peretz rejected the proposals, saying his party remains loyal to the right-religious bloc, Kan News reported.

A Blue and White statement said the meeting was friendly and did not include specific offers.

Last month, Gantz's phone calls to the leaders of the bloc, including to Rabbi Peretz, ended with the right-religious leaders reiterating their loyalty to their bloc and directing Blue and White's requests for discussions to the Likud's negotiating team, which represents them.