Outgoing Settlement Council leader Danny Dayan stands firmly behind the candidacy of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is seeking a third term at running the nation. Dayan rejected allegations that the incumbent turned his back on yishuvim and his right-wing supporters, insisting “the situation in the yishuvim today has never been so good, all due to the outgoing administration.”

Speaking on Channel 2 TV’s Meet the Press program on motzei Shabbos, Dayan who last week announced he was stepping down as head of the Settlement Council to permit openly endorsing Mr. Netanyahu’s campaign denies he was promised a comfortable post in the new administration for his sacrifice, insisting he simply fells compelled to back Mr. Netanyahu since he views him as the best man for the job and doing so publically, demand he submit his resignation.

In his commentary against Naftali Bennett and the Bayit HaYehudi Party, Dayan expressed his fears that Bennett is likely to break from the coalition over “matters that do not compel such a move” using Bennett’s resignation as the prime minister’s bureau chief over the removal of three houses in Migron to back his point. “One does not leave a coalition over three houses” Dayan insists, then going after the number two man on Bennett’s list, Uri Ariel, another former Settlement Council leader who successfully made his way into Knesset. He accuses Ariel and his supporters of releasing anti-Netanyahu campaign literature in which they state the prime minister has abandoned his right-wing past. Dayan insists this is simply untrue.

Dayan feels that due to the wise policies of the prime minister, “The establishment of a Palestinian state has never been so far off as it is today”. He also credits the “proliferation” throughout Yehuda and Shomron on the splendid job the prime minister has done in this administration.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)