Opposition Leader and outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke out against the new coalition government in a meeting with opposition members Shas, United Torah Judaism, and the Religious Zionist party in the Knesset, Monday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

In a statement to the press, Netanyahu said: "We have a very strong opposition – 53 MKs, united and steadfast to bring down this dangerous left-wing government, the fraud government. It will fall quickly, and I'll tell you what: The only thing that connects them is hatred, exclusion, and dominance. You can't hold a government up with that.

"They have so many contrasts, and with that kind of hatred, you can't hold a government together for long. Those who transferred six Knesset seats in an act of deceit from the Right to the Left can maybe mislead and establish a temporary government, but no more. We will face them in strong and united opposition, and we will topple this government at the first opportunity.

"I say this out of my own personal experience. I led the opposition in 1995 and again in 2005. We worked hard, together, and in both instances, we brought great victories. It will happen this time, too, only much faster.

He continued: "I ask for opposition discipline. They have the leeway of a pin, and therefore I ask for steadfast discipline … and I intend to set a personal example. I also want unity, and the unity is expressed in this meeting, in meetings with faction leaders where we determined we would meet on Monday every week and during the week from time to time. We know and I feel in my fingertips where their weaknesses are. Some of you have already spoken to me about it. We can topple them, and it is possible if we act together in a unified manner and with steadfast discipline.

"I have one more request. If we work outwardly, toward this goal, we will achieve it. If we quarrel among ourselves, we won't achieve it ... If we focus all our efforts, we can bring them down, and we have good reason to topple them because it's for the good of the state.

Netanyahu concluded his remarks by saying: "This government is a fraud government. A motley and erratic government that cannot do anything for our security, for a healthy economy."

He said, "We will save the State of Israel and the people of Israel, God willing."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post 'New government will fall quickly,' Netanyahu vows appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A member of the new center-left government informed Ahmad Tibi the coalition would need his party's help, the Ta'al party chairman said Monday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

In an interview with Arabic-language Nas Radio, Tibi noted that "the result at the swearing-in was 59 to 60." He said.

"Yesterday, a senior member of the new coalition told me such a situation is hell and that they need us," he said, noting: "We made it clear any vote by our party would have a political and parliamentarian price."

Despite reports in recent weeks Ta'al lawmakers Tibi and Osama Saadi were contemplated voting in favor of the so-called "pro-change" coalition, both Ta'al members, along with the entire Joint Arab List faction of which Ta'al is a member, voted against the center-left government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Prime Minister-designate and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

According to the Joint Arab List official, it would have been "totally realistic" for those Ta'al members to vote in favor of the coalition because he said Tibi and Saadi are both pragmatists who have already spoken of the need for the Joint Arab List "to take an active and central part in the political field."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Center-Left coalition seeks Ahmad Tibi's help appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

According to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, issued Saturday, ‎‎"The cabinet meeting will not be held tomorrow [Sunday] because of Blue and White's refusal to ‎discuss a proposed 8.5 billion-shekel [$2.5 billion] economic aid package from the prime minister and ‎the finance minister, which includes assistance for at-risk sectors of the population.‎

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

‎"The plan will create 10,000 new jobs. The plan allocates 700 million shekels [$20 million] for food ‎security for impoverished families and 600 million shekels [$176 million] to extend grants for ‎furloughed workers age 67 and over until June 2021.The Likud is asking Blue and White not to block the ‎transfer of money to the citizens of Israel at a time when we are dealing with the coronavirus crisis," ‎the party said. ‎

Blue and White said in response that Sunday's cabinet meeting would not be held "in light of the ‎Likud's insistence on not upholding the coalition agreement and approving the cabinet regulations, ‎which ensure that the government will remain stable. This is not the first time the Likud hasn't kept its ‎promises, and any other excuse is a lie to the Israeli public." ‎

As the crisis deepens, a Likud official told an Army Radio reporter on Sunday that the coalition was ‎‎"dying" and had "come to the end." ‎

‎"The cooperation between Netanyahu and Gantz is over," the official said. ‎

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has reportedly been floating the idea of establishing a narrow government ‎without blue and White. Netanyahu has reportedly allowed some of his associates to start "sending ‎out feelers" to potential coalition partners. Likud officials have already spoken to members of Yamina ‎and approached Yisrael Beytenu, but thus far been turned down. ‎

Sources in Yisrael Beytenu said that there was "no chance" they would join the coalition, a position ‎echoed by Yamina. ‎

Meanwhile, news broadcasts on Saturday evening reported that Immigration and Absorption Minister ‎Pnina Tamano-Shata and Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevich (both from Blue and White) both ‎met with Netanyahu in recent days. The ministers said that the meetings had to do with issues in their ‎offices, and that party leader Benny Gantz had been informed about them. ‎

‎"There is no other speculation. I won't lend my hand to a narrow government," Tamano-Shata said. ‎

Yankelevich tweeted that she had not met with Netanyahu personally, but rather attended a meeting  ‎with the prime minister, the National Security Council, and the corona cabinet … Enough with trying to ‎spin routine work." ‎

In an interview to Channel 12 News that ran on Saturday, Gantz stressed that he would insist on a two-‎year budget, despite Netanyhu and the Likud's demand for a state budget covering a single year. ‎

‎"To stabilize the government, we need a two-year budget … All the top economists say that, so that's ‎what we're insisting on. I won't give up on it," Gantz said. ‎

The Blue and White leader added that there "might be" two people who wanted elections: Netanyahu ‎and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. ‎

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Touching on his relationship with Netanyahu, Gantz said, "Our relations are very good. It's clear what ‎we disagree on. Netanyahu is facing really, really big personal and legal challenges. He has to make ‎calculations that I don't. I suppose he had personal and political reasons for wanting an election. ‎Someone who cares about the country and what is happening here can't conclude that what we need ‎is an election." ‎

When asked about the public outrage against Netanyahu being expressed in the recent wave of ‎protests, Gantz said, "I understand the hatred of Netanyahu. I understand the disappointment in me." ‎

Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar, considered a major party rival of Netanyahu, also discussed the possibility of ‎another election, calling it "insanity." ‎

‎"Sixteen days are enough to find a solution to the budget issue, if they want my services, I'll be happy ‎to help," Sa'ar said. ‎

Sa'ar said that Netanyahu and Gantz were responsible for finding a solution, and that "political and ‎coalition agreements must be honored." ‎

Meanwhile, Army Radio revealed on Sunday recordings of Gantz speaking at a meeting with Blue and ‎White activists in which he attacked Netanyahu's conduct. Gantz is heard saying that he himself "does ‎not divide in order to rule, and does not drum up hatred to strengthen the base. Tell yourselves who ‎does otherwise." ‎

‎"I don't think it's okay for a prime minister to have three indictments. I said it, and I haven't changed ‎my mind," Gantz says. ‎

Sa'ar responded to Gantz's recorded comments, telling Army Radio that "It's inappropriate for a ‎cabinet member to make comments like that, and they are inappropriate at such a sensitive time. ‎Benny Gantz, 'People in glass houses ….'". ‎

The post Lieberman, Bennett snub Netanyahu's 'feelers' for a narrow right-wing gov't‎ appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar told Israel Hayom this week that there is a "complete disconnect" between the Likud and Blue and White.

 Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Moreover, Zohar is convinced that if not for the coronavirus crisis, there would be no government.

"The only thing keeping this government together is the pandemic crisis. If we weren't in the middle of the second outbreak this type of government wouldn't last."

As far as he is concerned the solution is simple: "Blue and White must change its approach."

Still, Zohar firmly believes elections could be closer than anyone thinks.

"I don't think the government will live out its days but I'm still optimistic – both sides could still come to their senses and work to stabilize the government."

Zohar also believes that Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit is biased against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Would anyone be surprised if Netanyahu were to fire him?" Zohar charged. "But he didn't – not because he can't but because he doesn't want anyone to say that he fired Mendelblit because of the unreasonable and unfair things that the AG has done to him," he continued, referring to the decisions to indict Netanyahu and later to deny him the opportunity to receive funding for his legal defense from several affluent friends.

Mendelblit's conduct towards the prime minister, Zohar said, "is disgraceful."

He further lambasted Netanyahu's critics, saying, "The Netanyahu family has become a target. People understand that you can say anything you want about Bibi. But if you want to really hurt him, and go after his family – that's where it hurts the most. The media doesn't pull its punches. They're obsessed."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post 'I don't think the government will live out its days' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The announcement comes ahead of next week's hearing at the Supreme Court, in its capacity as the High Court of Justice, to decide whether to disqualify the embattled leader.

 Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

A ruling against Netanyahu would plunge the country into a fourth consecutive election in just over a year. 

While maintaining the mandatory social distancing, dozens of Netanyahu's supporters rallied outside the court, calling on the judges to reject the petitions."The Supreme Court is ruining democracy" read some of the banners held by the demonstrators.

Several dozen activists from the "Black Flag" group which wants Netanyahu barred from office held a counter-protest nearby.

On Sunday, the court is to hear petitions from several nonprofit advocacy groups asking the high court to ban any indicted politician, including Netanyahu, from being allowed to form a government. 

Netanyahu and his main rival, Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz, reached an agreement earlier this month after more than a year of political stalemate and three elections. The coalition entails a rotating premiership, with Netanyahu serving for the first 18 months and Gantz for the next.

With the exception of the prime minister, Israeli court rulings require public officials to resign if charged with a crime. Netanyahu was indicted earlier this year with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He has denied any wrongdoing and claims the indictments are part of a political witch hunt. 

His trial is scheduled to begin next month.

The post Attorney general makes key decision on PM, leaving his fate to High Court appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

After the initial exit polls were announced Tuesday night, Joint Arab List chairman Ayman Odeh announced, "Once again, we have united and managed to get to 13 [the highest estimate] seats and become the third-largest faction in the Knesset."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

"[Prime Minister] Netanyahu incited against us and led to a dramatic rise in voter turnout in our sector. This is election drama because we are now a force that comprises a real alternative to the political map in Israel," Odeh said.

"Our votes prevented Netanyahu from establishing a government. That's something historic."

Odeh's party colleague MK Ahmad Tibi said the Joint Arab List would not join any coalition or government with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.

"When it comes to blocking [a coalition], we'll sit down in the next few days and decide what to do," Tibi said.

"The Netanyahu era is over, and his fate is either to go home or go to prison. And we'll just say, 'the deal of the century' no longer exists," Tibi continued.

According to reports, voting in Israeli Arab communities went fairly smoothly, despite predictions of violence and potential voter fraud.

The post Joint Arab List leader: We just became the 3rd-largest faction appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.