Photo: Yossi Zeliger / Flash90
The chairman of the right, Naftali Bennett, has in the last two days held a preliminary round of talks with the leaders of the Likud parties, Yesh Atid, Shas, Religious Zionism, Blue and White, Torah Judaism, Labor, Yisrael Beiteinu and Meretz.
“Bennett congratulated the party leaders on the occasion of the holiday, and stressed the need to act in a state and responsible manner in order to rescue Israel from the chaos and return the country to normal functioning as quickly as possible,” the statement said.
Earlier it was announced that the chairman of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, and the chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, met today (Friday) and discussed the various options for forming a government. In a joint statement from the two parties, they announced that they are expected to meet again and continue talks.
At the same time, the chairman of Tikva Hadasha, Gideon Saar, issued a tweet in which he called on Netanyahu to vacate his seat so that a government could be formed together with the Likud.
“For the fourth time in two years, Netanyahu failed to achieve a parliamentary majority of 61. Without Netanyahu, a stable government can be formed easily and quickly. If Israel is more important to Netanyahu than continuing to hold on to power, he must finally draw the required patriotic conclusion,” Saar wrote. “I call on Netanyahu to step aside, liberate Israel and allow it to move forward.”
His party member Sharan Hashakel stated that she would not join the Likud because she was “loyal to the values in whose name a new hope was established, and not to the portfolios. Let go.”