Netanyahu slams Bennett’s ‘charade,’ says ‘everyone is smiling’ at government’s fall

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu slams Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s claim that he acted out of selflessness in forming and also dissolving the current government as a “charade” and “brainwashing.”

Speaking to reporters in the Knesset, Netanyahu claims “everyone is smiling” at the imminent fall of the government, which he says “gave in” to terror and “caused the loss of personal security, raised the cost of living, and, most importantly, caused the loss of national pride.”

Netanyahu says he intends to form a “wide” government that will “return the national pride” and also sign more normalization deals, following those with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. He says he is preparing for elections but does not rule out an alternative government in the current Knesset if additional right-wing MKs drop their “personal boycott” of Netanyahu.

Netanyahu insists he never intended to sit in a government with the Islamist Ra’am party, despite Ra’am leader saying he has proof otherwise, and Netanyahu’s Likud members making many statements at the time in favor of such an alliance. Netanyahu said that contrary to the “lies,” he only sought collaboration with Ra’am on passing a specific law to introduce direct premiership elections.