New Right chief Naftali Bennett warned against the formation of a minority government led by the Blue and White party, as efforts to form a unity government with the Likud remain deadlocked.
MK Bennett called the possible formation of a minority government led by Blue and White which would rely on support from the predominantly Arab Joint List party – even if the Joint List party remains in the opposition – a ‘dark’ political trick, allowing Avidgor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party to effectively cooperate with the Joint List, despite Liberman’s rejection of the Joint List.
“This dark trick of establishing a minority government, which would rely on votes from the anti-Zionist Joint List and tacit support of Liberman’s party is an immoral ideal that will disgrace those responsible,” said Bennett.
The former Education Minister added that none of the parties in the right-wing – religious bloc would join such a government which was established with the support –even from the opposition – of the Joint List.
“It will also fail, because no party will join a government that was formed in this manner, so it won’t be able to last more than a few weeks. The responsible thing to do is to form a national unity government headed by Netanyahu and Gantz.”
Nearly a month after the September 17th general election, little progress has been made towards the formation of a new governing coalition.
With just 55 MKs endorsing him as Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu is unable to form a narrow right-wing government.
His rival, Blue and White chief Benny Gantz, however, is no closer to reaching the necessary 61 MKs needed for a majority, with 54 MKs recommending him as premier.
While President Reuven Rivlin, who tasked Netanyahu with forming a new government, has pushed for the formation of a unity government, Blue and White and the Likud have thus far failed to reach an accord.