MK Dudi Amsalem (Likud) announced on Tuesday evening, following a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu, that he will not be appointed a minister or deputy minister in the new government.
"I just left a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu in which he made it clear to me that I will not serve as Minister of Justice or as Speaker of the Knesset. I will be a full-fledged MK - as I promised in advance. Unfortunately, this is the price you pay for loyalty and adherence to principles."
"I will serve the voters of the Likud and residents of Israel from the Knesset - with devotion, loyalty and love, as is my practice," wrote Amsalem on Twitter.
Officials in Netanyahu's office believe that the crisis with Amsalem can be resolved. Netanyahu is considering keeping a significant ministerial portfolio for Amsalem and estimates that he will join the government relatively soon after it is sworn in.
Meanwhile, MK Yisrael Katz published a post on his Facebook account in which he refuted the claims that he set conditions and put pressure on Netanyahu.
"For some time, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has been leading a long and complex process of forming a government. In two days, this process will come to a conclusion and a strong and stable right-wing government will be established. We support his efforts and pray for his success and the success of the government - in the face of the great challenges facing the State of Israel."
"It should be emphasized that the appointment of Likud ministers in the government is under the sole authority of the Prime Minister and I and my colleagues will respect any decision he makes, contrary to false media publications about the ultimatums and conditions that I supposedly set, the purpose of which is to try and sow disputes and damage the process of establishing the government," Katz wrote.
"The good of the State of Israel was and still is the main consideration for my public activity and I will do everything to make it successful. We are all united for the cause," he concluded.
Another disappointed MK that Netanyahu is trying to satisfy is MK Yuli Edelstein, who is considered a senior member of the Likud Party and previously served as a minister as well as Knesset Speaker. According to the indications, Netanyahu will offer Edelstein the chairmanship of the prestigious Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu will continue his personal meetings with most of the Likud Knesset members. During the meetings he will inform them what position they have received in the government or in the Knesset.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that Netanyahu is expected to bring on Wednesday the appointment of Amir Ohana as Speaker of the Knesset for approval by the Likud faction.
On Tuesday morning, the interim Knesset Speaker, MK Yariv Levin, resigned from the post after serving for only two weeks and ahead of the expected swearing in of the government on Thursday, in which he will be appointed Minister of Justice.
Levin's resignation will take effect within 48 hours.
Another issue that has been almost decided upon is the appointment of the Foreign Minister, which will be a rotation: In the first half of the term, Yisrael Katz, who has already held the position in the past, will serve in as Foreign Minister. In the second half, Ron Dermer, a close associate of Netanyahu, will serve in the role.