From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Netanyahu tells Liberman, ‘Leave Zoabi, join the government’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GooglePrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a public plea during his weekly cabinet meeting for the six-seat strong Yisrael Beytenu faction to leave the left-centrist opposition and join the coalition.
“Leave Zoabi and join the government,” he says, referring to Joint List MK Hanin Zoabi, a constant target of derision from Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman.
Liberman’s party is the only right-wing faction in the opposition, which is led by the Zionist Union party. He and Netanyahu had a public falling out in 2014 over the prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza.
The call comes amid reports of continuing talks between Netanyahu and Labor head Isaac Herzog to join the government. Herzog has so far rejected Netanyahu’s advances, but has left the door open for joining the government, angering some in his party.
The Times of Israel Community.