As the talk to form a right-wing coalition led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ground to a halt on Wednesday, members of the Likud central committee and leadership, including Prime Minister Netanyahu himself, attacked Yamina leader Naftali Bennett and blamed him for their failure to form a coalition.

On Wednesday night, Bennett delivered a statement to the media responding to the attacks, that over the past two weeks have become more personal in nature. Bennett claimed that while he wishes to form a stable government to work on properly governing the country, all that Netanyahu wants is another election.

“The State of Israel urgently needs a functioning and stable government. With all due respect to what has been happening in the last two years in the Knesset, there are people outside. There are people who need to return to work and businesses that need to be rehabilitated. The citizens of Israel are tired of the quarrels. They want a government that will work for them.”

“While the people want a government, Netanyahu is interested in elections. We will not agree to that. The Likud’s attacks were predictable and do not impress me. I am committed to my values ​​and to the citizens of the State of Israel.”

Bennett continued, “Two weeks ago Mr. Netanyahu received from the President the mandate to form a government. I immediately told Netanyahu that he has the support of the Yamina faction, to form a right-wing government. Unfortunately, despite long hours and sincere investment on our part, I realized that while we try to leave no stone unturned in order to form a government, Netanyahu is constantly evading and attacking us. He is afraid to put pressure on those who are unwilling to offer compromises and strives for only one thing – another election, the fifth. And he wants to make this one a direct election. There is no government, no one will have a government. If this continues, we will go to the polls again, for the fifth, sixth, and seventh times.”

Bennett stated his own goals in the press statement. “For me, the first priority is to form a right-wing government. Netanyahu, you have us, to form a government. If the Likud fails in the task, then as my second priority I will work to form a unity government. My condition is that it be a stable and functioning government and that I am able to maintain my values. If neither of these two things are possible then, and only then, will we be forced to go to the fifth round of elections in one form or another.”