“Bibi should resign and Likud should replace him,” he said. That would be the best option to end the political stalemate, which could send Israel to a fifth election in three years, he added.
New Hope party leader Gideon Sa’ar and Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich are under pressure to join a Netanyahu-led coalition or risk jeopardizing a right-wing government.
Elhayani, who severed ties with Netanyahu when he failed to fulfill his commitment to annex West Bank settlements, said it was wrong to shine the spotlight on Sa’ar or Smotrich when the fate of a right-wing government rested exclusively with Likud. .
The road to a 65-member right-wing coalition is with Likud’s 30 seats, Shas’ nine seats, United Torah’s seven, Yamina’s seven, New Hope’s six and Zionist Party’s six Religious, he said.
“Likud should continue to lead without Bibi [Netanyahu]”Elhayani said. Otherwise, Likud could be in opposition, he added.
Netanyahu is caught in a Gordian political knot that threatens to end his 12 consecutive years as prime minister.
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During the election campaign, Sa’ar vowed not to join a Netanyahu-led government. He kept his promise, even though his absence leaves Netanyahu with 59 seats, two of the 61 needed.
“Gideon promised his constituents that he would not stand under Netanyahu, nor do I think whether he was good or bad in this regard,” Elhayani said. “But the moment he said it, he was connected to it.”
“It is important for a politician to maintain political integrity,” Elhayani said.
“A politician who promises something must keep his word,” he said, adding that this is especially true, given that Netanyahu has shown how little he values his own promises.
Netanyahu’s proposal to circumvent the damage done by the Sa’ar is to create a 59-member coalition with external support from the Ra’am Party (United Arab List).
Smotrich said he did not intend to join a coalition dependent on an Arab-Israeli party. His position probably condemns Netanyahu’s chances of forming a right-wing coalition.
“Smotrich is right to take this position,” Elhayani said. “No right-wing government can be dependent on a party like Ra’am.”
“Any party that does this can no longer be considered a right-wing party,” he said.
For these reasons, the fate of the law now rests with Likud, Elhayani said.