Netanyahu warns of ‘dangerous, left-wing’ Lapid-Bennett government
As mandate to form a coalition is given to his rival, prime minister piles pressure on Yamina party to ‘return to the right’ and not break its election campaign promises
By Stuart Winer and TOI staff
5 May 2021
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned that Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who on Wednesday received the presidential mandate to attempt to form a government, would form a “dangerous left-wing” coalition. Netanyahu also heaped pressure on the right-wing Yamina party and its leader MK Naftali Bennett to not join any emerging coalition, and instead work with him to build a right-wing government. His remarks came after President Reuven Rivlin formally tasked Lapid with forming a government in the wake of Netanyahu’s failure to cobble together a coalition in the 28 days since he was given the same mission. Netanyahu’s allotted time ran out at midnight Tuesday. Lapid has expressed willingness to let the right-wing Bennett be prime minister first in a prospective government of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties, as part of a rotation agreement. Netanyahu, too, earlier this week had said he was willing to step aside and let Bennett be prime minister for a year as he entreated Bennett to join a right-wing coalition with him.
more............ https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-warns-of-dangerous-left-wing-lapid-bennett-government/
As mandate to form a coalition is given to his rival, prime minister piles pressure on Yamina party to ‘return to the right’ and not break its election campaign promises
By Stuart Winer and TOI staff
5 May 2021
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned that Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who on Wednesday received the presidential mandate to attempt to form a government, would form a “dangerous left-wing” coalition. Netanyahu also heaped pressure on the right-wing Yamina party and its leader MK Naftali Bennett to not join any emerging coalition, and instead work with him to build a right-wing government. His remarks came after President Reuven Rivlin formally tasked Lapid with forming a government in the wake of Netanyahu’s failure to cobble together a coalition in the 28 days since he was given the same mission. Netanyahu’s allotted time ran out at midnight Tuesday. Lapid has expressed willingness to let the right-wing Bennett be prime minister first in a prospective government of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties, as part of a rotation agreement. Netanyahu, too, earlier this week had said he was willing to step aside and let Bennett be prime minister for a year as he entreated Bennett to join a right-wing coalition with him.
more............ https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-warns-of-dangerous-left-wing-lapid-bennett-government/