A deal between Yamina and the Likud is ready to be inked, and gives Yamina leader Naftali Bennett "everything he asked for" a high-ranking Likud official told Israel Hayom on Friday.
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According to the official, "There is nothing he requested and didn't receive. Now it's up for him to decide."
"There is a sense that Bennett doesn't want to sign, that he's waiting to see what happens with the other side. They set a deadline to form a government by Monday, and if they can't – they will take immediate action to dissolve the Knesset," the official added.
Other Likud officials reported that the reason Bennett was holding off on signing the deal was that he would prefer to form a unity government with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, whose mandate runs out in six days.
On Thursday, Bennett met with Lapid for the first time since Bennett announced he was pulling out of negotiations with other members of the anti-Netanyahu bloc following an outbreak of ethno-religious violence and the start of Operation Guardian of the Walls on May 10.
National Religious Party leader Bezalel Smotrich responded to news of the meeting, quoting Yamina No. 2 Ayelet Shaked, who said on Wednesday that Smotrich was "lying" when he claimed that Bennett was negotiating with Lapid.
The meeting between Bennett and Lapid followed a sit-down between Bennett and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz earlier Thursday. The meeting was reportedly spontaneous and took place on the sidelines of an event the two attended.
During Israel's operation against Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, Bennett said in closed talks that the idea of a "government of change" was off the table. However, some political insiders observed that Bennett was trying to tamp down protests against him and his party, and never had any intention of tossing out the idea of a unity government.
Political sources said that "Past experiences has shown that when Naftali keeps a low profile, he's about to do something that won't go down well with his base. Otherwise, he would already be added benefit to the Right."
Earlier Thursday, a group of demonstrators gathered outside Shaked's home in north Tel Aviv, calling for the establishment of a unity government to "stop the chaos." The demonstrators represented different political parties and included residents of the western Negev, Ashdod, and Ashkelon, communities that had borne the brunt of Hamas' rocket attacks during the 11-day operation in Gaza. One man who was protesting the idea of a unity government was arrested.
Liat Arkus, a Yamina activist from Netivot, told Israel Hayom: "At this crucial moment, we need a unity government. The situation that Netanyahu has brought us to – security, economic, and social – is not good. Both Bennett and Shaked are allowed to form an emergency government. True, it's not what we wanted or prayed for, but the alternative is a government with centrist parties that will focus on solving the acute problems the country is grappling with."
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