Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at Yamina leader Naftali Bennett on Thursday after the latter said he would not rule out partnering with the Left in order to form a unity government.
Netanyahu called on Bennett to join his effort to have a special election for prime minister rather than for the entire Knesset. This, Netanyahu hopes, would allow Israel to emerge from its long political gridlock and lead to a government being sworn in (Israel currently has a transitional government and the March 23 election ended without a conclusive outcome).
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"Despite your claims of trying to set up a government, the fact is that you are trying to do everything in your power to be a prime minister with the support of the Joint Arab List," Netanyahu said. "You call this a unity government, but this is an obvious attempt to mislead the public. Such a government will be of the Left and led by the radical Left, with you. This is an insult to the public, and haven't you forgotten your pledge not to sit with them?"
Netanyahu recalled Bennett's pledge not to seek the premiership if he did not have more than 10 seats (Bennett's party has seven). "How can one take you seriously if you contradict yourself?" Netanyahu lamented and added, "If you really wanted a right-wing government you would have supported a direct election, with the winner automatically forming a government."
Earlier Bennett said that while he would support Netanyahu if the prime minister presented a new government to the Knesset for a vote, he would have to consider other options if the deadline expired and no new government is formed by the incumbent.
"My first priority is to see a right-wing government, and Netanyahu you have our support if you manage to form one," Bennett said. "You have 14 days, time has not run out yet. But if you fail to do so, then I will work to form a unity government [with the Left] that would be a good and stable government and only if it would allow me to preserve my values and worldview," Bennett continued.
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