The Otzma Yehudit Party announced on Sunday evening that the coalition talks with the Likud have been terminated.
"Contrary to the earlier agreement, the Likud retracted and now refuses to give the additional minister - for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee - to Otzma Yehudit," senior party officials said.
"Strengthening the Negev, the Galilee and the periphery is our election promise, and we were elected to fulfill the election promises, not to look for jobs, but to take care of the residents of Be’er Sheva, Netivot, Ashkelon, and Sderot as well as the periphery of the Galilee - this is in our hearts," they added.
Earlier on Sunday evening, Channel 13 News reported that the Religious Zionist Party is demanding that the Likud include in the coalition agreement a provision for promoting Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
According to the report, the Religious Zionist Party is conditioning its support for a future government led by Benjamin Netanyahu in part on the Likud’s willingness to include a clause in the coalition agreement obligating the new government to take steps to apply Israeli sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.
The Likud, however, is reportedly refusing to commit to any steps towards applying sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria in the next government, leaving the two sides deadlocked.
Meanwhile, Religious Zionist party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich took to Twitter to respond to users who have attacked him in an attempt to cause him to back down from his demands.
"People can't make us the enemy, incite against, and slander us every time we don't stand at attention to the Likud's demands. Religious Zionism is a partner of the nationalist camp and the Likud," wrote Smotrich.
"We will keep to our demands so we can ensure the quick formation of a good and sturdy government that will do good and lead a truly right-wing policy," he added.