Gilad Erdan
Gilad ErdanSraya Diamant/TPS

MK Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) discussed the important issues ahead of the elections to the 22nd Knesset in September, in an interview with Yehuda Shlezinger of Israel Hayom, which will be published in full on Friday.

Sa’ar was asked what Likud officials would do should Netanyahu not be able to form the next government and replied, "Journalists do not sit in front of Blue and White people and say 'If Gantz fails, support Ashkenazi.' Why are they not asked such a question?”

"I'm not willing to take part in attempts to drive a wedge between members of the Likud on the eve of the election, when there is no justification for it. This is done deliberately within the Likud in order to harm the unity in the Likud. There is unity and a goal within the Likud. The goal is to establish a Likud government headed by Netanyahu. Is it achievable? Yes," Sa'ar said.

On Ayelet Shaked, Sa'ar predicted that "she will be in the Likud in the future. She is currently on a stopover.” He also said that he hopes that "Naftali Bennett will be in the Likud in the future as well."

On Ehud Barak, Sa'ar said that "he was a bad prime minister, and is now behaving in a way that disrespects his past and the high positions he once held." Yair Lapid was described by Sa’ar as "a leftist disguised as a centrist," and Benny Gantz "made the mistake of positioning himself as a candidate for prime minister with no political experience."

Sa'ar does not regret his public criticism of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after the recent ceasefire and after 500 rockets were fired on southern Israel. "It was not personal criticism, I respect the Prime Minister, and yet, as a public emissary, I have a duty to say what I think. There are government and cabinet members who say that there is a need to resume targeted eliminations of terrorists and attack government policy - why are they allowed to do so, and yet Gideon Sa'ar, who expresses a clear position, with internal logic, without personal dimensions, is forbidden to do so?! If I behaved differently, I would not deserve to be a public emissary."

"I had criticism and still have criticism of the policy in Gaza. I have not changed my opinion, which I expressed even after the last two ceasefires, I think the conditions under which these ceasefires were achieved have not strengthened us, I have a different opinion on the policy vis-à-vis Gaza," Sa’ar added.