Likud seeks to bring Yamina party into government, offering 3 senior ministries, in order to avoid elections.
Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett flatly rejected the Likud’s proposal to enter the government in exchange for the defense portfolio and two other senior portfolios.
PM Netanyahu turned to Bennett, attempting to form a narrow right-wing government that would rely on 61 MKs.
The Likud believes that if Yamina agreed to join such a government, there would also be defectors from the Blue and White. That would allow the formation of a government in the current Knesset. Outside support would come from the Ra’am party led by MK Mansour Abbas.
Yamina said in response: “Netanyahu has no worries about the unemployed and their earning a living. Instead, he is looking for a joint government with Mansour Abbas. Netanyahu is busy with politics instead of dealing with Israel’s problems. We need quick elections, and we will bring a new leadership to Israel.”
Meanwhile, contacts between the Likud and Blue and White are continuing in an attempt to prevent the dissolution of the Knesset next week. The unflattering polls for both Netanyahu and Benny Gantz have led them to make every effort to reach an agreement.
Channel 12 News reported that the Likud is demanding an extension of the rotation to four and a half years. Gantz is demanding that Avi Nissenkorn remain Justice Minister.
(Arutz 7).