Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett on Sunday evening 19 Shevat signaled for the first time that he fears if the Likud is selected to form the next coalition government, his party may not be included. Bennett feels there is a chance that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu may turn to Labor party leader Yitzchak Herzog instead of him as the main coalition partner.
Speaking to Channel 2 News, Bennett explained he is not looking to pick a fight but voters must decide if they want a left-wing government of Likud and Labor or a right-wing government with Likud and Bayit Yehudi. He explained everyone knows that Netanyahu will be prime minister, but the question remains as to the character of the government coalition.
Bennett also envisions his party receiving the Public Security portfolio to appoint Ayelet Shaked as the new minister in a coalition headed by Likud.
Bennett added that there is no agreement as of today and cited following the last elections, Likud tried to form the government without including Bayit Yehudi.
Mr. Netanyahu responded to Bennett’s remarks, stating he will not build a coalition with the left-wing for the ideological divide is too significant for Likud to align with Herzog and Tzipi Livni.
Netanyahu added this is why voters must go with Likud so the main coalition partner is strong enough to dictate the policies of the coalition, which was not the case in the outgoing coalition. He warned that if Likud is not strong enough following elections there will be a left-wing government.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
A Labor led coalition with the Chareidi parties will be the best outcome of this election.
A Likud-Labor government has often been discussed as an alternative to the problem of the small parties getting a disproportionate share of influence and patronage. Working against this is that they would still need some support from “centrist” parties, who will charge a high price, and more importantly, leaders of big parties have incredibly big egos and want to be #1, and there can’t be two #1s.
TERRIBLE, Bennett is the closest we have to a shomer shabbos Prime Minister, havol that Herzog is not as his grandfather was a rav.
Time for all the frum parties to unite and win the election with at least 33 MKs
#1
fool or useful idiot?