Smotrich appeals to Sa’ar, Bennett to join right-wing government

19 April 2021, 3:18 pm

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Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich urges Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope and Naftali Bennett’s Yamina to enter a right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Appealing to Sa’ar, he says: “I pledge to stand to your right and work together for Israel’s citizens.”

He also accuses Bennett of “sitting on the fence and waiting for Netanyahu to fail [to form a government] in order to establish a government with Lapid, Labor and Meretz.”

Head of the Religious Zionism party Bezalel Smotrich gives a press statement in the Knesset, in Jerusalem, April 4, 2021. (Olivier FItoussi/Flash90)

Smotrich again rules out a right-wing government backed by the Islamist Ra’am.

He makes the comments at the Knesset.

Sa’ar has ruled out joining a government led by Netanyahu. Yamina is in talks with Netanyahu on joining a coalition, but such a government would still require the backing of Ra’am and Smotrich.