Netanyahu confirms he’s willing to step aside, let Bennett be PM for year

3 May 2021, 2:03 pm

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Left: Head of the Yamina party Naftali Bennett gives a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on April 21, 2021; Right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on April 21, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms he’s agreed to step aside and let Yamina leader Naftali Bennett be appointed prime minister first in a rotation agreement, for a year.

The statement comes a day before Netanyahu’s mandate to form a government expires.

“I told Naftali Bennett I am willing to accept his demand for a rotation deal in which he will serve first as prime minister for one year. Yamina party members will enter the government and Knesset with important roles,” writes Netanyahu on social media.

“I urge him [Bennett] to sign a deal today on the formation of a right-wing government, and to commit that he won’t join any other government,” adds Netanyahu. “In a post 10 days ago, Bennett wrote that a right-wing government could be formed if I move aside for the first year. So I moved aside. Now it’s your turn.”