Herzog, Netanyahu
Herzog, NetanyahuFlash 90

Could Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu be abandoning the chances of a narrow right-wing government for a unity government with Labor leader Yitzhak Herzog? 

According to Likud, the answer is a resounding "no." 

The party strongly rejected Sunday a report that Netanyahu sent his associate Natan Eshel to discuss with Herzog the possibility of establishing a unity government with the Zionist Union (Labor-Hatnua - ed.). 

"Prime Minister Netanyahu did not give permission to this man to turn to the Labor party," Likud officials claimed. 

"If the Prime Minister wanted to contact Herzog - something which is out of the question in light of the deep ideological differences between Likud / the national camp and the Labor party of 2015 - he would do it himself, without any middlemen."

According to the Channel Ten report, Eshel unofficially checked, on behalf of Netanyahu, if the Zionist Union would be willing to enter the government together with Likud. 

Herzog reportedly told Eshel that there is no chance his party will sit in a government under the leadership of Netanyahu. 

During campaigns for the elections last week, Netanyahu stressed repeatedly that he had no intention of putting together a unity government with the Zionist Union, because of "deep ideological differences."

"I am in favor of a united Jerusalem under Israel sovereignty; they are against. I'm opposed to withdrawing from Judea and Samaria; they're in favor," the Prime Minister explained.