Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich, who will likely head Israel’s opposition in the new government, said on Tuesday evening that she still believes that a leftist “obstructive bloc” would be formed to prevent Binyamin Netanyahu from heading the next government.
“We may well be at the beginning of an evening that launches a great opportunity to form an alternative government to the Netanyahu government,” said Yechimovich in a speech at the Labor party’s election headquarters.
“I want to commit to the public that is hearing me right now that I'll do all I can to bring together all the forces that will form an alternative bloc to the extreme government,” said the Labor leader, whose party will likely be the third largest in the Knesset with some 17 seats, according to exit polls.
Yechimovich noted that she plans to approach the hareidi parties as well in hopes they would join such an “obstructive bloc”.
She said in her speech that she spoke with Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party, who has made an impressive achievement and will be the second largest party in the Knesset, and congratulated him on his achievement. Yechimovich also said she spoke to Tzipi Livni of the Hatnua movement and with Meretz chairwoman Zehava Galon.
“We must also wait for the real results which can be very significant,” said Yechimovich. “There is a very very high chance that Binyamin Netanyahu will not be able to form a government,” she claimed.
She claimed that a socially-oriented government that will kick start a peace process can be formed.
“There are forces that can come together to block Netanyahu and form such a government,” said the Labor chairwoman. “As long as Netanyahu is Prime Minister, nothing will change. The same rampant capitalism, that doesn’t count people, that breaks down society, that unjustly chokes the middle class, that throws the poor to the fringes of society. Are we willing to live in such a society? Can anyone who cares for the middle class and the poor imagine crawling into such a government? No.”