Yisrael Beitenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman told the media today that although he could easily have joined a narrow government coalition, he had made every effort to form a broad national unity government.
"Netanyahu and Gantz don't need me. They have a stable majority. Had they formed a broad government of their two parties, everyone would have joined it. They decided to go to elections with eyes wide open," Liberman declared, adding that he had no intention of being in either a rightwing or leftwing narrow coalition.
As for the question of guarantees offered to Blue and White Party chairman Benny Gantz to induce him to join a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Liberman stated, "This is Gantz's excuse and an evasion. All of the factions gave him guarantees that if Netanyahu did not fulfill his commitment to rotation after six months, they would continue with Gantz."
Liberman said that he would not sign forms supporting anyone's effort to form a government under the provision that 61 members of Knesset can choose a candidate for prime minister. "It will only delay the inevitable and waste two more weeks. Only a Hanukah miracle can help now," he said.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 5, 2019
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