MK Miki Zohar (Likud) said in an interview which aired on Channel 12 News on Friday that the internal fights that developed in the Likud harmed the movement, and called on members of his faction to stop quarrelling.
"The internal struggles within the Likud were there but we always knew they were harmful to the Likud," Zohar said. "The more we fight amongst ourselves and fight each other, the more the Likud loses its power. I continue to call on everyone: Stop. The internal struggles weaken the Likud and the right-wing camp. The right thing is to respect each other even if we do not agree."
"Emotions will remain, it is not something that passes so quickly. But people understand that Netanyahu is the person the Likud and the right-wing public wants, he receives tremendous support from all of us and therefore, with all due respect to everyone, when Netanyahu is in a campaign, we all need to back him and stop all the internal fighting," he added.
Zohar said he was glad that Netanyahu decided not to sign a plea bargain that included moral turpitude. "If he had signed a plea bargain that included moral turpitude, it would have done enormous damage to the right and ultimately enormous damage to the Likud as well. Once the moral turpitude component is included, Netanyahu actually leaves public life, and the Likud and the right would probably be in a different situation than they are today."
At the same time, Zohar stressed that he would have been satisfied with Netanyahu signing a plea bargain that does not include moral turpitude.
"I think this legal saga should end, but not under the conditions that the prosecution is demanding," he said. "It cannot dictate to the right-wing public who will be its Prime Minister or who will not be its Prime Minister."