Bennett
Bennettצילום: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Yamina party chairman and former Defense Minister Naftali Bennett ruled out joining a government led by Yesh Atid, saying Wednesday morning that his party would not join a left-wing coalition.

Speaking with Reshet Bet, Bennett said that while he would be willing to join a government which includes left-of-center parties such as Yesh Atid, he would not sit in a government led by Yesh Atid chief Yair Lapid.

“What I see in all of the polls and also based on what’s happened in the last two years is that Netanyahu cannot form and hold a stable government, so the time has come to replace him, and that will only happen on the Right.”

“Yamina won’t sit in a government led by the Left – and that includes Lapid as prime minister. Lapid can call himself whatever he likes, but at the end of the day, we won’t sit in a left-wing government. We have no problem with Lapid being a partner in a government, but the choice at the ballot box is between Netanyahu and me.”

Bennett argued that Lapid could not present himself as a viable alternative to Netanyahu for the premiership, and denied that his Yamina party is part of the 'right-wing bloc' committed to keeping Netanyahu in power.

"Netanyahu can only be replaced from the Right, because a large majority of the country is on the Right, and it isn't logical to have a prime minister from the Left. So I tell Lapid voters and others: the only way to replace Netanyahu is to vote for us. We aren't a part of any bloc, and at the end of the day, this election will be decided within the nationalist camp."