Miri Regev on Mount Herzl
Miri Regev on Mount HerzlArutz Sheva

Transportation Minister Miri Regev criticized President Reuven Rivlin's conduct in delivering the mandate to form the next government to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Speaking at preparations for the Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl, Regev blasted the president for saying that the decision to give the mandate to Netanyahu was "not easy on a moral and ethical level."

"The president did what he had to do," Minister Regev responded. "At the end of the day, he respected the democratic decision of the Israeli public."

"The public voted for the Likud as the largest party and Netanyahu had the most recommendations. As is appropriate and as correct in the spirit of democracy, the president is supposed to impose the government on whoever has the most recommendations, and that was Netanyahu and the Likud party. I believe and trust Netanyahu that he will form the best government for the State of Israel."

"I am sorry that the president, and not for the first time, is acting in an unstatesmanlike manner," she attacked. "Even at the Independence Day events, he does not invite the Prime Minister and his wife to the traditional event at his house of the Outstanding Soldiers Ceremony, which is not a private event but a state event related to the Institution of the President. And of course he did not invite him properly to impose the mandate on him."

"What is important now is to put these things aside and form a government, as soon as possible, good for the State of Israel and I have no doubt that Prime Minister Netanyahu will do that," said Minister Miri Regev.