Female politician tapped by Chabad billionaire has no immediate plans to run for premiership

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked will not abandon her Jewish Home party and would consider a run for the premiership only after her party leader had done so himself.

By: World Israel News Staff

Justice Minister Ayeket Shaked dismissed the notion that she would abandon her political party in favor of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and serve as his heir.

Shaked was responding on Tuesday to a report that Australian billionaire and Chabad Rabbi Joseph Gutnick was promoting Shaked as a replacement for Netanyahu when he steps down and to reports that she was being offered a seat on the Likud ticket.

Shaked stated that she had no intention of leaving her Jewish Home political party and would consider a run for the premiership only after her party leader, Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, had done so himself.

“Bennett and I get along well. He knows I will surprise him in one fashion or another,” Shaked told IDF Radio.

Gutnick told The Jerusalem Post‘s Gil Hoffman on Monday that he has built a relationship with Shaked in recent years and has pledged his resources to her success.

Gutnick said that he chose Shaked because of her right-wing views, her leadership skills and her ability as a secular Jew who respects religion to unite Israelis. He also believes the time has come for Israel to have its second female prime minister after Golda Meir.

Gutnick has secretly been advising Shaked to leave Jewish Home and join Likud.

Asked Monday on IDF Radio about the possibility that Shaked would leave Jewish Home for Likud, Bennett said that she is not the type who would back-stab and be disloyal to her party. He said that he and Shaked should focus on making Jewish Home stronger.