Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a sharp warning Saturday evening against the formation of a new government as early as next week, calling on parties in the national camp and Zionist parties to join a national unity government instead.
Netanyahu warned that the proposed government would depend on groups he accused of supporting terrorism and said its establishment would endanger Israel's security and its character as a Jewish state.
"With a government like this, Israel simply will not survive," Netanyahu said in a video message. "And therefore there is only one choice. Not national suicide, but national unity. thois is the will of the people."
"As early as the coming week, some intend to rush through the swearing-in of a government with supporters of terrorism," he said. He described the proposed partners as groups "that seek to eliminate the State of Israel" and establish a Palestinian state on its ruins.
"A government that depends on Hamas supporters will not fight Hamas," he said. Netanyahu also referred to the ongoing fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, arguing that the proposed government would be unable to provide the necessary backing for IDF soldiers. He accused some of its potential partners of making serious allegations against Israeli soldiers while expressing support for Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, although he did not identify the groups he was referring to.
Turning to the domestic implications, Netanyahu warned that a government dependent on Islamist groups could undermine Israel from within. He compared the potential consequences to episodes of violence in European cities, citing Paris and Brussels as examples. He warned that similar or even more serious violence could occur in Israeli cities, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa, insisting that the scenario was a real danger that must be prevented.
Netanyahu concluded by outlining the government he wants to establish, calling for all parties in the national camp and Zionist parties committed to preserving Israel as the Jewish people's national home to join together. He argued that such a government could permanently eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat, safeguard Israel's Jewish character and strengthen national unity. However, he did not identify which parties might accept his proposal or indicate whether negotiations toward such a coalition were already underway.
"I call on everyone to show responsibility at this time," Netanyahu said. "This is the imperative of the hour; this is the imperative of our survival."