Comm. minister Hendel: I won’t enter right-wing gov't with Likud
Remarks by Derech Eretz minister seemingly limit Netanyahu’s options in ongoing political tensions with Blue and White.
By JEREMY SHARONYOAZ HENDEL: Anything that doesn’t involve people’s livelihoods is less important now. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel of the Derech Eretz party said on Monday that he would not join a narrow, right-wing government led by the Likud and jettison the Blue and White party from the coalition.Hendel’s comments come as a fight over the state budget between Likud and Blue and White continues to simmer away, a fight which has the potential to lead to new elections if a budget is not passed by August 25.Due to the dispute over whether to pass a one or two year budget, reports have emerged that the Likud is seeking to form a right-wing government comprised of the two ultra-Orthodox parties, Yamina, Hendel’s Derech Eretz faction of two MKs, and MK Orly Levy Abekasis who sits as a lone Knesset member.Such a coalition would have a bare majority of 61 MKs, and would mean that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could ditch the Blue and White party which is stymieing him in several arenas crucial to his personal and political interests. Speaking on Kan Radio on Monday morning, Hendel said however that he would not join such a government.“There are people around Netanyahu who want elections, but elections would be disastrous for the State of Israel,” said the communications minister.“To go to elections when we have so many citizens unemployed, when we’re dealing with corona would be a disaster for the State of Israel and I won’t let it happen, or any tricks of this kind.”Hendel said that he had no personal problem with the Likud party, but noted that he is of the opinion that a prime minister should not be serving as premier under indictment, and had consented to join such a government in order to create a unity government after three elections.Pressed several times as to whether he would abandon a unity government and join a right-wing one instead, Hendel said “I will not go with a narrow, right-wing government with the Likud.”Continued the minister “The role of the state-oriented right-wing at this time is to preserve the unity government which I, amongst others, am responsible for forming… The only option is to strengthen the current government and to create a budget for this government, otherwise the State of Israel will be harmed.”
