Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid announced that he had offered to form a rotation government with Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett in which Bennett would be prime minister first.
Speaking following Netanyahu's address to the media bout the first day of the evidentiary phase of his trial, Lapid said: "Anyone who saw Netanyahu's reckless performance today understands he can't carry on in his job. He's become dangerous. To himself, to Israel and to the rule of law."
Lapid called for a unity government. "We need a government of national agreement. I offered my friend Naftali Bennett the opportunity to form a government with me. A government which will include the spectrum of Israeli politics, parties from the right, center and left. A government which will reflect the fact that we live here together. We know how to bridge divides. We don't hate one another."
"We are committed to bringing about the change we promised to the people of Israel. To prevent a government led by a criminal suspect and dependent on racists and extremists. The test for a leader is to take tough decisions in complex situations. I offered Bennett a unity government in which he could serve first in the rotation between us. That's what the country needs now. The Israeli public needs to see that its leaders can work together," he said,
"There will be disagreements, there always are, but we'll manage them out of mutual respect. We are all patriots and we can bring back the idea of shared good, of good intentions which lead to doing the right thing.
"I call upon all the parties and leaders who promised change. Netanyahu will do everything he can to break you. He'll look for those who will abandon their party, he'll look to break parties apart. Don't let him. He doesn't have a government. He doesn't have a majority. He's a hostage in the hands of the extremists. It's a long game and whoever will be determined enough, patient enough and focused enough will win. We don't give up and never will, there has never been a more justified political fight and it will end only when we win," Lapid concluded.