Yisrael Beyntenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman has ruled out a coalition that would have Yamina leader Naftali Bennett as prime minister, senior political sources told Israel Hayom on Wednesday.
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With the March 23 election resulting in a hung parliament, no party has enough seats with its allies to form a governing coalition. As a result, both sides, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, is reaching out across the isle to form enough support that would allow a government to be sworn in, with or without a majority. The big question is wheather Arab party Ra'am, which has traditionally sided with the Left, would switch sides.
Lieberman, whose right-wing party has ruled out sitting with Netanyahu because of his indictment for alleged corruption, apparently chaffed at the idea that Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid was considering forfeiting the opportunity to get the presidential nod to form a goverment in order to unify the "anti-Netanyahu camp" behind Bennett.
"Lieberman and Lapid are in lockstep; one cannot move without the other," one political source told Israel Hayom.
Lieberman, the source said, that it was unacceptable to have Bennett, whose party won seven seats, become the country's leader. Both Yisrael Beytenu and Yamina won seven seats, but Bennett has not ruled out sitting with Netanyahu.
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