Yair Lapid in 2010. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Conversations between Israel’s Likud and Yesh Atid political parties have revolved around the appointment of Yair Lapid being named Israel’s foreign minister, Israeli daily Maariv has reported.

Maariv quoted a senior Likud official as saying, “Obviously Lapid must receive one of the three portfolios,” meaning either foreign minister, finance minister or defense minister.

Another Likud official told Maariv that the defense minister must have a military background and that Lapid seems an unlikely candidate for finance minister. This would leave only the position of foreign minister. Lapid seems the smart pick because of his command of English and his centrist positions that would likely be welcomed on the international stage.

Early Wednesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a brief press conference where he said:

“The public has sent us a clear message – it wants me to continue leading the country and it wants me to form a coalition.”

“The public wants me to form a government that will instill three internal changes – an equal distribution of social burden, attainable housing and a change in the system of government.”