As the beginning of the Knesset summer session approaches, bringing with it the almost certain dissolution of the coalition, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu met with UTJ chairman Moshe Gafni on Monday for the second time, with the first meeting taking place about a week and a half ago.

The meeting follows a number of interviews in which UTJ chairman Moshe Gafni repeatedly emphasized that if a new right-wing government cannot be formed under opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu, his party prefers to form a government under an alternative senior Likud MK than proceed to another election.

The Chareidi parties supported Netanyahu as prime minister for four election cycles over two years and they have no interest in repeating the experience, with the possibility of another election ending with the same scenario in which Netanyahu lacks enough mandates to form a government due to tensions with past colleagues.

UTJ MK Yisrael Eichler already called on Netanyahu to resign months ago, saying in an interview: “After the first elections, we should have told Netanyahu: ‘Recognize the fact that you lost, you need to go. Even Churchhill knew when to resign.'” Furthermore, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein instructed senior UTJ officials to insist on a new government in the current Knesset over new elections.

The meeting was tense, sources told B’Chadrei Chareidim. But Gafni himself told B’Chadrei: “Netanyahu and I are good friends. We exchanged views at the meeting.”

According to B’Chadrei, senior Likud officials say that Gafni’s comments are harming the chance of recruiting additional defectors. “This isn’t the time to discuss elections or no elections,” they said. “First we need to break up the government.” Gafni reportedly agreed at the meeting to emphasize the need to break up the current government in future interviews and save the question of elections for later.

Gafni has been slammed for his comments by some Likud MKs, with MK Miki Zohar stating on Sunday. “The absolute majority of right-wing voters want only Netanyahu as prime minister. Everything is being done so that Netanyahu will lead the government that will be established, whether in this Knesset or the next. If there are those who think it’s better to sit with Meretz, Labor and Yesh Atid, they’re making a bitter mistake.”

On the other hand, there are many Likud MKs who have privately expressed the same view as Gafni.

Following his meeting with Netanyahu, Gafni stated: “Due to the fact that there were repeat elections, the con man [the ubiquitous term for Bennett used by his critics] managed to become prime minister. I represent hundreds of thousands of Chareidim, lomdei Torah, and at the advice of HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, I’m trying to establish a right-wing government! In the current Knesset!”

He did not comment on the meeting.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)