Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Monday afternoon that he’s willing to step aside and allow Yamina leader Naftali Bennett to serve first as prime minister in a rotational agreement in order to establish a right-wing government.
Netanyahu’s concession comes a day before his mandate to form a government is set to expire on Tuesday at midnight and is apparently a last-minute attempt to form a government before the mandate is passed to Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid.
Netanyahu’s message on Monday afternoon comes after a Kan News report earlier on Monday said that Netanyahu and Bennett met in secret last week. The report added that the Likud and Yamina negotiation teams also secretly met last week, with talks continuing via phone over the weekend.
However, Bennett’s response to Bennett’s offer was less than promising, with him saying that he didn’t ask to be prime minister but for a government and “Netanyahu doesn’t have a government because [Religious Zionism leader] Smotrich burned the bridges for a right-wing government.”
Smotrich has repeatedly refused to join a government supported by the outside by the Arab Ra’am party.
Bennett added that he prefers to join a right-wing government over a national unity government and is willing to compromise to do so but Netanyahu is trying to place his own failure to form a government on Yamina’s shoulders.
“If Netanyahu doesn’t succeed in forming a government, we will form a unity government,” he said. “The most destructive thing for Israel would be another election.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Why would ANYONE believe ANY commitment made by lying Bibi?? He has shown that he will say or do anything to retain power.
No, the most destructive thing would be government with Lapid, Lieberman, Labor (which include a Reform Rabbi and Arab) and Meretz! Better to have another 10 Elections than such a government. And besides it wouldn’t last more than 3 max. 6 months.
The most destructive thing for Israel would be another election Wrong:- The most destructive thing for Israel is banishing frum vaccinated negative tested Jews from entering Israel, especially relatives of Meron victims, & make no mistake about this Bibi.
We don’t like you Bennett, but notwithstanding:- If you Bennett reopen Israel borders, we shall support you & turn against Netanyohu.
a. The most destructive thing for Israel is missiles from Muslim territories.
b. Netanyahu has proposed more than one “rotating prime ministership”. He seems desperate to hold onto power. If he (or anyone else) cannot form a government without some silly gimmick like “rotating”, it would be best if someone else gets a chance to form a government, without a “rotating” anything except a carousel or washing machine.
147: You don’t cease to amaze me! Never met anybody so one track minded!
Imagine if you used that power for learning. You’d be the next Chazon Ish!