Israeli interim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Friday afternoon with Yamina party’s chairman for coalition talks in an attempt to sway Naftali Bennett to join his government, Hebrew media reported.
“We have one goal – to form a good and stable government, that cares for the citizens of Israel, we will make every possible effort to reach this goal,” Bennet said ahead of the meeting, as quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth.
According to the Israeli daily, Likud members are “raging” against Netanyahu for allegedly offering Bennett top positions within the party.
“It’s a disgraceful proposal that indicates a loss of nerves. It’s putting the Likud movement up for sale in exchange for Netanyahu’s seat,” an unnamed top Likud official was quoted as saying.
However, another senior faction member dismissed the report, stressing that Netanyahu’s offer “died before it was born” as Bennett “completely” ruled it out.
On Thursday, Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Ra’am), delivered a speech announcing he will make a decision on which candidate to support for the prime minister post in the coming days.
According to i24News Israeli media outlet, if Abbas “would support Netanyahu for the role — as some reports suggest he would — it could put Netanyahu in a tough negotiating position.”
The Israeli media outlet also reported that following Mansour’s remarks, Religious Zionism chief and lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich refused to speak to the incumbent Israeli premier as he was “outraged” over what he called Netanyahu’s ‘legitimization’ of Ra’am.
In addition, other reports suggested that Opposition Leader Yair Lapid agreed to a premiership rotation deal, conceding the first term to Bennett.
Source: Israeli media
