Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich explained on Sunday his position on the issue of the establishment of the unity government, and said that he would not fail to form such a government.
"My position is well known, I think the results of the current elections require the establishment of a unity government. This is a government that is probably impossible to move forward on, but there are many common issues, security, social and economic issues that can be advanced," he said.
"I have already said that I am personally prepared to stay outside, I am not the important matter. The State of Israel is much more important than me or the question of what role I will take," Smotrich added.
However, he said, "I am certainly not prepared to accept confiscation or exclusion of religious Zionism. I see no justification for this. The unity government should certainly include all the parties that want a broad Jewish and democratic state here, not on the basis of negating the will of the public in the State of Israel. Neither the parties nor the people have disowned Netanyahu as prime minister."
"I will not stand in the way. If, in the end, they establish a government 'without Smotrich,' that is fine. Personally, I will gladly serve the State of Israel in the opposition.
Smotrich added, "Conservation of the right-wing bloc is necessary in order not to establish a left-wing government in the State of Israel. After all, demographically they do not have a majority. The left cannot in any way form a government, and therefore, as far as the right is concerned, a balanced government is established that has both the right and the left. We will set aside the aspirations of each of the disputed issues ad address the challenges of the State of Israel."
Smotric later explained the decision to split up the Yamina faction. "This is a technical step. When we connected, we assured voters on both sides that this connection was a technical block and we are now making a technical move of separation. Nothing is changing at all on the fundamental level. It is simply an election promise. You have to get used to having politicians making promises."
Smotrich acknowledged that things depended only on him, the split would not occur, but noted that as a politician he knows how to distinguish between what is desired and what can be realistically done. "At the essential level we continue to work in full coordination, in full cooperation, both now within coalition negotiations and the day after."
Continuing his Twitter feud with Joint List leader Ayman Odeh, Smotrich said: "People like Ahmad Tibi and Ayman Odeh, who openly support terrorism and refuse to condemn it, take the sides of the worst of the enemies of the State of Israel, including the Iranians."
"Whoever stays here will be ones who accept the fact that Israel is a Jewish state and does not undermine its very existence nor its right to exist as a Jewish state.
"Those who support Hamas, those who support Iran, those who support Hezbollah are undermining for the physical existence of the State of Israel and the Jewish people," added Smotrich. "May I say that we are the owners of this land. We returned to it after two thousand years, I hope forever."