Ehud Barak
Ehud BarakFlash 90

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, chairman of the Israel Democratic party, responded on Sunday to the developments on the right and to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s reaction to the New Right party’s announcement that it will be running in the September Knesset election.

"Netanyahu, who is frightened by Shaked and Bennett, rushed to summon Rabbi Peretz this evening to make sure that no vote in the right-wing-extremist-haredi camp will be lost," Barak said.

"This is precisely the dangerous combination of messianic extremism and governmental corruption that serves the common interest of both: Crushing the justice system, gatekeepers and defenders of democracy. Along with them, the foundations of the Declaration of Independence, the values ​​of the IDF and the basic norms of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state are being trampled," he charged.

Barak called on the leftist camp to unite, saying, "In the face of these forces, the entire democratic camp must unite together, as one force, as 85% of its voters want. A force that is confident that it is ready to enter the arena and win. A force that can become a real alternative to the government. A force that will save the State of Israel from the Netanyahu state."

"Only by completing the alliances that were not formed in the previous elections, will the democratic camp, the left-center, achieve more public power and real ability to win. We received a second chance, there will not be a third chance," Barak concluded.

His comments came after the New Right announced that Ayelet Shaked will lead the party, with plans for Shaked to lead a joint ticket with the United Right party.

Netanyahu had invited Education Minister and Jewish Home chairman, Rabbi Rafi Peretz, to a meeting about a right-wing merger but subsequently cancelled the meeting.

He later addressed questions regarding his possible intervention in order to unify the right-wing parties.

"After the live broadcast, I received a number of requests from people on the right who are saying: 'You have to intervene in what is happening on the right because otherwise, we will throw out another five-six Knesset seats and we'll go back to elections once again.' So I'm saying: I will not intervene for the time being but if necessary, I will intervene," Netanyahu said.