Yamina head Naftali Bennett arrives for coalition negotiations, April 8, 2021. (Flash90/Yonatan Sindel)
Bennett is being accused of secretly hoping Netanyahu fails.
By David Isaac, World Israel News
Yemina leader Naftali Bennett told a faction meeting on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could count on his party’s support in establishing a right-wing government, but others on the Right say that in reality he’d like to see Netanyahu fail.
Bennett said at the meeting, “In our meetings I told Mr. Netanyahu, and I say again here, that Likud can count the Yemina faction in for the establishment of a right-wing government.”
But right-wing sources tell Israel Hayom on Monday that “if Naftali Bennett really wanted to form a right-wing government, he would announce that it was either a right-wing government or a fifth election and then all the pressure would go to” other factions to join the coalition.
Those others include former Likud MK Gideon Saar, leader of the right-wing New Hope party, and even Benny Gantz of Blue and White, a more centrist party and currently a member of the coalition. Neither has shown the slightest interest in joining with Netanyahu this time.
The sources presented as evidence that Bennett isn’t serious a video disseminated by one of his party’s members showing a well-known Israeli news anchor saying that the opposition bloc is actually made up of right-wing members.
“Why is it important for an activist from a right-wing party, which as they claim wants to form a government with the Right, to spread a clip that says the other bloc is not Left at all?! It seems like [Yemina is] preparing the ground to go with them and claim that this is not a left-wing bloc. Otherwise, there is no other explanation for it,” the sources told Israel Hayom.
Netanyahu and Bennett met on Thursday. “The meeting was conducted in a good spirit and in a positive atmosphere. It was agreed that they would meet again,” according to a joint statement issued by Likud and Yemina.
Netanyahu currently has 52 Knesset seats. He needs 61 to form a government.
Most of those accused of spying are Israeli citizens who were approached online and promised…
Netanyahu wrote: 'Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies.'
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond militarily if Iran directly targeted the country.
As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marches through his mayoralty, his anti-Israel rhetoric and…
The daily reality confronting ordinary Iranians stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric dominating the…
The soldier had been sentenced to 18 months in prison on weapons charges.