Gilad Erdan
Gilad ErdanFlash 90

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) did not rule out the possibility that the center-left Blue and White party would be a coalition partner in a Likud-led government.

"Anyone who accepts the basics of a right-wing government won't be barred from sitting with us," Erdan told News 13. "Gantz has his merits in the field of security, he's not fit to be prime minister, but he's not barred from serving as defense minister."

"Prime Minister [Binyamin Netanyahu] intends to meet first with the right-wing bloc and create a government similar to the one we have today. After that - anyone who accepts the fundamentals of a right-wing government, any party, including Blue and White, is not barred from sitting with us, on our terms and in the positions there are."

"I didn't hear anyone in the Likud say that Gantz isn't normal," Erdan emphasized. Gantz has his merits in the field of security, and he's not out of question as defense minister, but he's not fit to be prime minister. He can't stand up to the pressure, he's talked nonsense the whole campaign."

Meanwhile, Netanyahu insisted that Gantz would not serve as defense minister in the new government.

"Benny Gantz, who supported the dangerous nuclear deal with Iran, who supports evicting 90,000 settlers, who opposed the wall I built on our border with Egypt which completely ended the infiltration into Israel, who invents blood libels against me and caves to the pressure of the election campaign - will not be defense minister in my government," he said.

"Anyone who wants a left-wing coalition votes for [MK Yair] Lapid and Gantz. Anyone who wants a right-wing coalition will vote only for the Likud, led by Netanyahu."

"I said very clearly that if we are the ones asked to form a government, the Likud will first of all form a government with the right-wing bloc!" Erdan tweeted. "Only after we have a right-wing coalition, will anyone who accepts the fundamentals of a right-wing government will not be barred from joining us. It's clear that Benny Gantz is not a preferred candidate for the position of defense minister."