Bennett and Netanyahu
Bennett and NetanyahuFlash 90

The Blue and White party on Friday criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for deciding to appoint New Right chairman Naftali Bennett as Defense Minister.

The party said that the appointment is a political, narrow and personal interest of Netanyahu. “Instead of promoting the government that the people have chosen want, Netanyahu continues to fortify the immunity bloc and hide in it."

MK Yair Lapid, one of the leaders of Blue and White, blasted Netanyahu on Twitter and wrote, “There is no way to count the times when [Netanyahu] said Bennett was childish and irresponsible. Now he places in his hands the system responsible for the lives of our children. Because of Bibi's criminal cases, he puts the narrow personal interest ahead of the state.”

“The voters are looking to us. We will continue to work to establish a broad unity government that comes to work for the public and not for itself,” added Lapid.

The Democratic Union alliance between Meretz and Ehud Barak’s Democratic Israel party also criticized the move.

“Netanyahu does not loathe any shady plot and any despicable trick to cling to his chair and avoid trial. Appointing ministers in a transitional government is improper and undemocratic. This is another step in a series of corrupt steps in Netanyahu's quest for the destruction of Israeli democracy. Bennett's appointment as Defense Minister is inappropriate and proves that Netanyahu has no red lines,” the party said.

“He does not consider anything - certainly not in the best interests of the state - in his reckless rule. Given Netanyahu's reckless moves and attacks on the rule of law, Benny Gantz must work more vigorously to establish a center-left government that will end Netanyahu's tenure and elevate Israel to the correct path.”

Netanyahu and Bennett met on Friday morning at the Prime Minister's Office. Netanyahu proposed to appoint Bennett as Minister of Defense, and Bennett accepted the proposal. The appointment will be brought to the government for approval at the upcoming government meeting.

Bennett agreed that if when a new government will be formed, another person may be appointed Defense Minister.

The two also agreed that the Likud and the New Right would immediately form a joint faction in the 22nd Knesset (according to the Likud-Yisrael Beytenu model in the 19th Knesset) and will work together as a joint faction throughout the current Knesset.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)