On Thursday, the leader of New Hope, Gideon Sa’ar, turned down a proposal presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political syndicate to empower Netanyahu to formulate a temporary government.
The proposal says that Netanyahu’s term would be fixed for a pre-determined time and all the parties in this group would settle to certainly not join a government led by him over ever again.
Bills would be approved setting term bounds for the role of prime minister, and the parties would inform Netanyahu that it would be his only option to remain in power. Sa’ar would be given recognition for culminating Netanyahu’s political career.
Sa’ar rejected the idea, saying his party’s view against assembling a government led by Netanyahu was clear no matter how the queries were made.
One of his party’s Knesset members went further with the response, sending laughing emojis in reply to the suggestion and likening it to what Blue and White leader Benny Gantz approved last year.
“These are the kind of solutions that Gantz likes,” the MK said. “He can tell you what happens after.”
Netanyahu has time till May 4 to formulate a coalition government under the mandate given to him by President Reuven Rivlin. To that end, he will be meeting with Yamina leader Naftali Bennett and Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel Smotrich, on Thursday.
If Netanyahu fails, Rivlin is expected to give the mandate to Bennett or Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to form a government composed with Sa’ar’s support.
“An egalitarian government with special arrangements is what is needed,” Sa’ar said on Tuesday.
