T. Belman. There are only two reasons why Netanyahu would want Herzog to join the government and that is to neutralize Bennett or to destroy the Zionist Union.
Channel 2 News reports Prime Minister and opposition leader met this week to discuss a unity government. Both sides deny.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has renewed his efforts to convince opposition leader MK Yitzhak Herzog, head of the Zionist Union party, to join his coalition, Channel 2 News revealed Friday.
According to the report, Netanyahu and Herzog met on Thursday in Caesarea for talks on the possibility of Zionist Union joining the coalition. Sources said that Netanyahu is not interested in seeing the Jewish Home leaving the coalition and believes that both Jewish Home and Zionist Union can work together.
Netanyahu worked hard to convince Herzog to join the coalition several months ago, but the talks on a unity government reportedly fizzled over Herzog’s demand for a unilateral division of Jerusalem, among other things.
The talks appeared to be over when Netanyahu joined forces with Yisrael Beytenu and Avigdor Liberman, but Herzog later hinted that his party would reconsider joining the coalition if Netanyahu ousted the Jewish Home from the government.
Sources close to Netanyahu denied Friday’s report on a recent meeting with Herzog, and a similar denial also came from Herzog’s office.
“According to the baseless report, it is fundamentally clear that once again there are problems in the coalition,” Herzog’s office told Channel 2 News.
MK Amir Peretz (Zionist Union) denied the report as well, claiming that it was a spin by Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid.
“There is no chance that the Zionist Union will join Netanyahu’s government,” said Peretz, adding, “It seems that this is a spin by Lapid, who is the primary beneficiary of these spins. Netanyahu can and should be replaced, and this is our goal and we will accomplish it.”
Meanwhile, Housing Minister Yoav Galant of Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu party welcomed a possible unity government with Herzog’s party.
“I’m not familiar with the talks but I will be the first to welcome a broad unity government,” said Galant. “I think it’s good for the state of Israel and for its stability, security and economy.”
Ted, Netanyahu is playing a 3 dimensional game of chess…perhaps 4 dimensions…I suppose that would be impossible….but. It is a good thing Netanyhu was not born a Gypsy, not that there is anything wrong with that. One thing I am certain of, the real goal behind these polemics is boiler plate defense against any 9th inning surprises from team Obama. It is posturing Ted, to show Obama and prove to Obama who is the puppet master in Jerusalem and there is not a damn thing he can do before January 20th and he may as well play another round with Larry and butt out of the region after all of the damage he has done.