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Netanyahu rejects suggestion Likud would join unity government
Likud leader and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday rejected reports that he may join a national unity government with the Zionist Union, headed by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni.
With polls indicating that Likud and Zionist Union are running more or less neck and neck, the composition of the next government will likely largely depend on complex coalition negotiations following the 17 March election. While Likud’s most likely potential coalition partners appear to be Jewish Home and the ultra-Orthodox parties, there have been media suggestions that Netanyahu could opt for a more centrist national unity government with the Zionist Union.
However, commenting yesterday via social media, Netanyahu dismissed the prospect, saying “there will be no unity government between myself, Tzipi [Livni] and Buji [Herzog]. It will not happen, because the ideological gap between us is deep and wide.” He continued, “I want to establish a broad national government that will continue standing strong and powerful, together with our natural partners — first and foremost Jewish Home.” Reiterating a theme of both the Likud and Zionist Union campaigns so far, Netanyahu summarised that the election is a choice between him or Herzog and Livni, “there is no other choice.”
Nonetheless, according to the NRG news site. Likud MK Ze’ev Elkin, considered a close ally of Netanyahu, told students in the West Bank yesterday that “there is a 10-15% chance of a left wing government, a 40 to 50% chance of a right wing government and a similar chance of a unity government.” Elkin reportedly added that there may be no option other than a unity government in the event of a tie.
Meanwhile, a senior candidate on the Joint Arab List, current MK Ahmed Tibi yesterday denied that his faction would join a potential Zionist Union-led government, but did not rule out the possibility, saying, “We have no commitment to the Zionist Camp.” Haaretz reported earlier this week that when asked about such a prospect, Livni answered “everything will be discussed after the elections.”