Defense Minister Nadtali Bennett (Yamina) has said that he will not join a Blue and White-led coalition - even if that means Israel will hold fourth elections.
In an interview with Israel Hayom, Bennett said: "I prefer to sit in the opposition, and not join [Blue and White Chairman MK Benny] Gantz's government. I also prefer fourth elections to sitting in his cabinet."
"I am a rightist and Blue and White is a leftist party. Blue and White is like an avocado - it has a peel and a pit. The pit of Blue and White is Yesh Atid, which fought the pre-military academy in Eli, which wants to evacuate tens of thousands of settlers from their homes, which does not want Judaism, and whose leader, Yair Lapid, has said that the Disengagement is a punishment for the Religious Zionist community. These are not my views and therefore I will not sit with them. I will join only a Netanyahu government."
Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's claim that Yamina is planning on joining Blue and White, Bennett said: "A rightist does not attack a rightist. That's the eleventh commandment, which Netanyahu taught me. It's not pleasant to be attacked by Netanyahu but I'm nor responsible for his actions, but for my actions. The division needs to be such that Likudniks vote Likud and ideological rightsts and Religious Zionists vote Yamina. I don't intend to attack others in the right-wing camp, and we will continue keeping quiet, because rightists do not attack rightists."
When asked about the recent rocket attacks, Bennett estimated that "we will end up with a widescale operation in Gaza at some point soon. The only way to change the situation is by rebooting, as quickly as possible. In this round of fighting, I learned that it is inevitable."
"We set a new standard: If there isn't quiet in the Gaza border towns, there won't be quiet in Damascus, either."
"Benny Gantz made a mistake when he did not order the IDF to attack terrorists" in Hamas headquarters during Operation Protective Edge, Bennett added.
Gantz was IDF Chief of Staff during Operation Protective Edge. Another Blue and White leader, MK Moshe Ya'alon, was Defense Minister during that period.
Bennett also warned the Supreme Court not to refuse Netanyahu the opportunity to form a government: "It would be irresponsible and destructive if they disqualified him. That would mean that the Supreme Court is telling the people, 'I don't care about you.' That's destructive to the public's faith [in them]. They cannot do that, and I hope they won't do it."