i24 News – Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hosted what was most likely his final cabinet meeting today , commending his government as “short-lived with great achievements,” ahead of parliament’s expected dissolution this week.
Bennett, who took charge of an ideologically-divided eight-party alliance in June 2021, conceded last week that his coalition was no longer tenable, a shock announcement that is likely sending Israel to its fifth election in less than four years.
“Soon, unfortunately, the State of Israel will head toward elections,” he told his ministers, with parliament due to hold a final vote to dissolve itself as early as Monday.
“This was an excellent government, which depended on a complex coalition. There is a group of people, who knew how to put aside ideological differences, rise above and act for the State of Israel,” he added, referring to the alliance that counted right-wingers, centrists, doves and Arab Islamists.
“There are governments that last but which have few achievements; ours was a short-lived government with great achievements,” the premier said.
Former prime minister and current Opposition Leader Bibi Netanyahu reportedly held talks on forming an alternative government within the current parliament in an attempt to avoid elections.
However, the chances for the right-wing bloc to gather enough allies are low as many lawmakers oppose working with Netanyahu.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli media reported that Likud lawmaker Dudi Amsalen welcomed the Arab party Ra’am to be part of a new coalition government as long as the party will not act as ‘king-maker.’ But the Likud’s leader Netanyahu later denounced the statement saying no “terror supporters” will ever take part in a government led by his party.
Once the parliament dissolves, Israel’s interim government will be led by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, in accordance with a power-sharing deal Bennett and Lapid reached following inconclusive elections last year. Israelis are expected to take to the voting polls in the fall with opinion surveys showing that neither bloc of the current parliament have enough public support to gain a majority of 61 seats in 120-seat Knesset.
Ask Bennett’s neighbors, they will tell you another story. Blind Bennett claims to not have known that fortress style walls were being built at his neighbors expense. Blinded by his own ambition, his so called achievements were at the expense of the Jewish people. He has a lot of teshuva to do.