Netanyahu, Bennett end 4th meeting in coalition talks

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett have met for the fourth time since President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday gave the mandate to form a government at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem.

Coalition negotiating teams from Likud and Yamina will meet soon, although party spokesmen said they did not know when.

Bennett on Monday denied reports that his demand for a rotation in the prime minister’s office prevented the formation of a Netanyahu-led government.

“I could have sat in the prime minister’s chair by now if that was my highest goal, but my highest goal is to prevent the disaster of another election,” Bennett said.

Bennett cites Israel’s challenges in Iran, at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and economic challenges as reasons why Israel immediately needs a stable government.

“In our meeting, I told Netanyahu and I say it again here: The Likud can rely on the Yamina faction when building a right-wing government,” Bennett said. “We will continue to work hard to prevent the disaster of a fifth election. There are creative ways and ideas to do this, which should roll up your sleeves and start working. ”

Bennett said the blocs in Israel are no longer Right and Left, or for or against Netanyahu remaining in power.

“Now there are only the camps of those who are responsibly trying to form a government and those in the anarchy camp that are torpedoing it,” Bennett said. “They have to come down from the tree.”

Sources close to Bennett have said he places Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist Party, in the second category, who still refuses to sit in a government backed by Ra’am (the United Arab List).