The leader of the far-right Yamina party, Naftali Bennett, announced today, Sunday, that he decided to join the leader of the "There is a Future" party, Yair Lapid, to form a unity government to replace the government of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement made tonight, Bennett added that he had made his decision;
Because this government will be a government of national unity, comprising right-wing and left-wing parties and the center, and its goal is to save Israel from the cycle in which it is living because of the repeated elections.
He added that this government will be more right-wing than others, and it will not hesitate to launch a military campaign if necessary, and it will be a unity government for all, and it will not serve a sector without others.
Bennett attacked Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader and prime minister, saying he was spreading lies and practicing incitement, which paralyzed Israel.
He added that the left parties participating in this government made enormous concessions, and that the rest of the parties are obliged to postpone the realization of their dreams.
Netanyahu considered that forming a left-wing government would pose a danger to (European) Israel
Netanyahu's speech
On the other hand, Netanyahu accused his opponent, Bennett, of reneging on all his pledges, and of rushing towards a left-wing government in order to be prime minister later, and said that Bennett does not want a fifth election, knowing that he will not pass the threshold.
Netanyahu added, in a speech, this evening, Sunday, that Bennett rejected his offer to him to form a joint right-wing government that they would take turns to head, in addition to Gideon Sa’ar.
He considered that forming a government from the left would pose a danger to Israel's future, and that Israeli deterrence would harm him by forming it, and said that it would be a government of "defeat and surrender."
After Netanyahu’s speech, his supporters demonstrated in front of the homes of right-wing party leaders, accusing them of treason, and uploading pictures of them wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, in protest of their decision to join a change government that ends the Netanyahu era.
For its part, the Israeli channel "12" reported that the guards and security around the leaders of the right-wing parties opposed to Netanyahu have been reinforced, after threats and incitement against them by Netanyahu's supporters.