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Netanyahu: I won’t seek unity government with Herzog

[ssba]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted yesterday that he “will not form a Government with the left-wing parties”, specifically citing a wide ideological gulf between himself and Zionist Union leaders Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni. Netanyahu also pre-committed to including the Jewish Home party in his future coalition if he is asked to form a government after the election.

Mr Netanyahu’s comments came after Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett wrote that he was concerned that his party would be left out of the next government by Netanyahu, and that supporters of a right-wing government should therefore vote Jewish Home instead of Likud.

Netanyahu’s comments are seen as an attempt to woo right-wing voters to support his party rather than Jewish Home.

Meanwhile, ultra-Orthodox Shas party leader Aryeh Deri suggested that a left-wing government appeared unlikely according to the latest polls. He told the Walla website that Zionist Union leader Issac Herzog didn’t appear to have sufficient backing from other parties to be able to form a coalition, and implied that this made it more likely that Shas may back Benjamin Netanyahu.  However, Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog has challenged Netanyahu to a head-to-head television debate.

In other political news, this morning Netanyahu has hit out at Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, claiming the paper’s publisher Noni Mozes was personally orchestrating a witch-hunt against him and his wife.