Yitzhak Herzog
Yitzhak HerzogMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Zionist Union chairman MK Yitzhak Herzog continued to insist on Thursday evening that he will not be joining Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s coalition.

His comments came amid reports that Netanyahu is planning to expand his 61-member coalition by bringing in Zionist Union, or at least some of its MKs.

"I am not joining this government. It is bad and dangerous for Israel," Herzog told Channel 2 News, adding, "I suggest that Netanyahu and his partners fill all the ministerial portfolios that, according to rumors, are waiting for me."

"I think that the best thing Netanyahu can do after he held a clearance sale to assemble his national government of failure is to return the mandate to the president so that he can task someone else with the formation of a government,” he continued.

On Wednesday, Herzog denied a report that he had turned down an offer by Netanyahu to become Foreign Minister, calling reports of serious negotiations between himself and Netanyahu a "fairy tale."

Herzog and other members of his party condemned Netanyahu’s new coalition, vowing to work to make sure it is short-lived.