Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman wants to become prime minister of Israel, he said in an interview on Channel 12 talk show Ofira & Berkovic Friday evening.
"[Alternate Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett's tenure blurred the rules...I see myself as a candidate for prime minister," the Yisrael Beytenu head declared. "I once thought you need at least 20 mandates [to become prime minister] but Bennett proved otherwise, which is why everything is possible."
"In terms of seniority, ability, knowledge and execution I hold up against any other candidate," Liberman said.
The finance minister again called for a unity government with the Likud, calling for the party's MKs to ditch opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu and form a government.
"It will happen," he insisted when challenged on the plausibility of Likud MKs rebelling against their leader. "All Netanyahu does is spout inciting slogans; the truth is with us, which is why we will win."
Lapid speaks with opposition leaders
Netanyahu spoke with Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Friday, the day he began his interim tenure, wishing him a peaceful one with no security escalations.
The opposition leader also offered to receive his monthly security update through military secretary Avi Gil, rather than from Lapid himself, in order to "depoliticize" the updates.
Netanyahu has already been receiving the updates from Gil as requested by Bennett since his government with Lapid was formed. This is because he reportedly refused to meet with Bennett in the Prime Minister's Office.
Another opposition MK who spoke with Lapid on Friday is United Torah Judaism head Moshe Gafni, who congratulated him on assuming the position of prime minister. position. The two had a "good conversation," Gafni's office said.