Likud MK and former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat spoke at a conference on Wednesday and condemned Blue and White leader Yair Lapid for his attacks on the religious and Chareidi communities.

“Yair, you had two golden opportunities to work together with us, together with the national camp and you said no twice,” Barkat said directly to Lapid, who spoke at the conference before him. “It’s enough with the boycotts.”

“Enough of the personal boycott against Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose government you were part of in the past. Enough of the boycott on entire communities in our country, on over a million kippah wearers. They’re our brothers!”

“I’ll tell you a secret. As opposed to the hopes of the left-wing camp, there won’t be a rebellion in the Likud and Netanyahu will continue to be our candidate to lead the government. The Chareidi and Dati Leumi communities are also not going anywhere.”

Barkat also spoke about the Likud leadership primaries that are taking place on Thursday and called on MK Gideon Sa’ar to step down.

“[The leadership primaries] is an opportunistic process that took advantage of the prime minister’s weakness during his and the Likud’s most difficult moments,” Barkat said.

“Gideon, the results are already known. You’re going to lose. I suggest that you do a cheshbon nefesh already now on your unfriendly decision that was unnecessarily forced on all Likudnikim and on the prime minister. It’s not yet too late to take a new route, a moment before the ballots open. Change your negative discourse against the prime minister.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)