MK Naftali Bennett, who heads the Yamina party, on Saturday evening explained why he refuses to commit himself to being part of a government led by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with Israel's "Meet the Press" program, Bennett said, "I'm not going to be Netanyahu's punching bag like [MK Bezalel] Smotrich (Religious Zionism) is."
"Smotrich says, 'I'm going to go with Netanyahu, no matter what happens' - I don't believe in that. It's time to replace Netanyahu. A strong Yamina will replace him."
When asked whether he would support legislation that would push off Netanyahu's trial, he answered: "I've said a million times that we don't make retroactive laws."
Slamming New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar for allegedly publishing anti-Yamina propaganda, Bennett said: "In the past, Netanyahu did that as well. I'm used to it. If he'd stop his anonymous campaign, that would be great."
Before Bennett's interview, an interview with Smotrich, Religious Zionism's chairman, aired. In it, Smotrich emphasized that he intends to be a partner only to a right-wing government, irrespective of Netanyahu.
"I'm saying 'only a right-wing government' - I didn't say 'only Netanyahu,'" Smotrich said, emphasizing that he will also support a government with Bennett and Sa'ar if they know how to form a government with everything that is important to his party.
Responding to Bennett's interview, the Religious Zionism party said: "We condemn Bennett's personal attacks on the Religious Zionism chairman. We will do everything necessary to form a stable right-wing government which will be good for the people of Israel. It's a shame that such a commitment isn't coming from Bennett as well, instead of the personal attacks."
"While Bennett isn't managing to escape personal insults and rivalries, we have taken responsibility to ensure that the Right and Religious Zionism will not become the punching bags for [Yesh Atid Chairman MK Yair] Lapid and [Labor chairwoman MK Merav] Michaeli."