Netanyahu Says No to Unity Government

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making his political vision for Israel crystal clear, promising to establish “a strong right-wing government.”

“This is my commitment to Likud voters. There will be no unity government,” he wrote in an op-ed published Wednesday in the conservative Israel Hayom newspaper.

Netanyahu is pushing back on demands that he form a unity government with the centrist Blue and White party.

“The citizens of Israel face a single choice in the upcoming election: Who will be the next prime minister of the State of Israel? Will a weak and inexperienced left-wing government led by Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz be established; or rather a strong right-wing government headed by the Likud under my leadership,” he wrote.

“To form a right-wing government, voters from the nationalist camp must wake up and shed their apathy.”

Netanyahu’s comments come after Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman said that he will only support a candidate for prime minister who is willing to push for a national unity government. Liberman scuttled coalition talks in May and prevented Netanyahu from forming a government, and polls show him gaining strength.

Most of the Israeli public opposes such a unity government, with more than half of those surveyed against a coalition of Blue and White and Likud, The Times of Israel reported.