Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu again warned of the intention of Blue and White Chairman MK Benny Gantz to form a minority government with outside support from the Arab parties on Saturday night.
"I have a red phone here. It rings every evening. People tell me: Prime Minister, you have to attack there [Gaza]. And what do should I say? 'One minute. I need to check with Ayman Odeh? I need to check with Ahmed Tibi?'"
"Somebody thought of something that never existed in Israeli history. Something which would compromise Israel's security, which would be an existential and immediate risk to the State of Israel and a slap in the face of Israeli democracy, in the face of citizens who gave everything to Blue and White. Would they give him even five seats if he would have said something like this? Not even that."
Netanyahu called former IDF chiefs of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Ya'alon, both of whom are senior Blue and White MKs: "You were in uniform. You were chief of staff. Talk to Benny Gantz, who was also the chief of staff, and remind him that those whom you want as partners, that your government would depend on - they wanted to prosecute you, like other IDF soldiers, as war criminals."
"Are you out of your mind? There's time to stop this madness. Talk to him, get him to regain his senses and join the unity government that the people are waiting for."
Knesset member Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) also warned against Blue and White's intention to establish a minority government with outside support from the Arab parties.
"The welfare of the country requires a genuine and focused effort to establish a national unity government," Sa'ar said. "A minority government that will be formed through relying on opponents of Zionism is a bad idea. Such a government will not be able to meet Israel's national security challenges."