MK Eli Cohen (Likud) has said that nearly the entirety of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party is in talks with Likud.
"Other than Bennett and [Religious Affairs Minister Matan] Kahana, all the other members of the Yamina party are in negotiations with the Likud: [Interior Minister] Ayelet Shaked, Nir Orbach, and Abir Kara," Cohen said. "If until now we would come and tell them - take three reserved spots, they would come to the Likud and the government would fall apart."
According to Cohen, "Shaked, Orbach, and Kara want to take care of themselves, to receive three reserved spots and to be a party within the Likud. I say, let them come, they will be in the government and afterwards run in Yamina. It's not because of [MK] Miri Regev's (Likud) opposition, but the fact that on the ground, there is very great anger amongst the public at Shaked, who was the architect of this government."
"From the country's perspective, it is better to form an alternative government, but for the Likud itself, it is better to hold elections - according to what we see in the polls, and what I feel on the ground. I see the public's anger at what is happening. The question if we hold new elections depends on [Justice Minister] Gideon Sa'ar (New Hope). If Sa'ar decides to leave the personal battles and personal issues aside, we can form a nationalist government headed by [MK Benjamin] Netanyahu and the Likud tomorrow."
Cohen added, "Anyone who does not believe in a Jewish and democratic state will not be in the government."
The current government, "has lost its majority and since last Monday...is dependent on the Joint Arab List and loathsome MKs like Ahmad Tibi and Ofer Cassif. We need to open a criminal investigation against them and kick them out of the Knesset."