Herzog dispels rumors of unity government with Likud

Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog on Saturday reiterated his commitment following the March 17 elections not to join a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid repeated reports that the Israeli leader is considering forming a unity government with the Knesset’s second largest party.

Speaking at an event in Tel Aviv, Herzog stressed that his party was determined to lead the opposition to Netanyahu.

“Immediately after the election I said that we were going to the opposition,” the Zionist Union chairman said, according to the Ynet news site. “This is not a default position, this is [our] priority.”

The head of the Zionist Union further claimed that there had been no contact between him and the prime minister over the possibility of forming a joint government. Herzog went on to assess that the prime minister himself preferred to form a right-leaning government.

“I believe that Netanyahu prefers right-wing government because of concerns and fears,” Herzog stated.

At an event in Ramat Aviv Saturday, Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni accused Netanyahu of deliberately painting a false picture of her party as a defeatist entity bent on capitulating to the whims of Israel’s enemies.

“More than us being wrong [in our strategy ahead of the elections], Netanyahu managed in an ugly way to create a false impression that we would sell Israeli to its foes,” Livni said. “[But] he was able to bring out 580,000 people to vote.”

Netanyahu met Friday with Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett and then with Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, as negotiations gathered pace ahead of a fast-approaching initial deadline for the formation of a new governing coalition.

According to a report on Channel 2 Friday, Liberman is set to keep the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and Bennett is pushing, among other posts, for the Religious Affairs Ministry, which is also coveted by the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.

The report added that Jewish Home was also demanding the Foreign Ministry, but Bennett was willing to give it up in exchange for Liberman’s help in getting the Religious Affairs portfolio.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri, the report continued, was willing to settle for the Transportation Ministry however, a possibility which incumbent minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) is said to be fighting against.

Earlier, Walla reported that Netanyahu wished to give the Religious Affairs Ministry to Shas.

Netanyahu has reportedly offered Bennett three different portfolios, including Economy and Agriculture, but Jewish Home has not accepted.

The initial period of 28 days given to Netanyahu by President Reuven Rivlin to form a coalition will end on Wednesday, and the prime minister is expected to ask for the maximum available extension of 14 days.