Benny Gantz
Benny GantzAvshalom Sassoni/Flash90

MK Miki Zohar (Likud) called on Defense Minister Benny Gantz to leave the coalition and form a government with the Likud.

"My friend Benny Gantz, as someone who is focused on what is good for Israel - join us in forming a national government without the left and without representatives of the Islamic movement and thus save the citizens of Israel from this evil government," Zohar said.

In an interview with the Knesset channel, Zohar claimed that "if Benny Gantz wants, he will be prime minister" first in a rotation with Benjamin Netanyahu.

Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid referred to the Likud's proposals to Gantz at a Yesh Atid faction meeting and declared that "Benny Gantz is far too intelligent to believe Benjamin Netanyahu again after he so blatantly deceived him in the previous round - so I do not think there is a good chance he will go."

Lapid added that "one can only appreciate the fact that he (Gantz) is offered suggestions that could dazzle a less sober person - and he knows how to distinguish between the main cause and the treatment."

The Yesh Atid chairman also noted that the coalition "respects the defense minister and his party, they are a very important component in this government." Lapid also said that he and Gantz are in constant contact and have excellent working relations and he thinks that Blue and White should "facilitate the way in which this government functions and the atmosphere of goodwill it has compared to the previous government."