(Israel, 28th) Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that after the general elections, which are expected to be held in October this year, he hopes to form a broad coalition government.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Netanyahu said on Saturday (June 27) that forming a broad coalition government is preferable to forming a left-wing government 'dependent on Arab parties.'
He said that his intention to form a broad coalition government means, 'There has been enough boycotting—I will boycott no one, everyone can join.'
He also said that the precondition for joining such an alliance is to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu is currently leading a small coalition consisting of far-right and ultra-Orthodox factions. Recent media polls in Israel predict that the current coalition factions could win at most 53 seats out of the 120 in parliament, not enough for him to form a coalition government again under the current parliamentary structure.
Polls show that the main opposition parties can only form a government by cooperating with Arab parties. However, some opposition parties refuse this kind of cooperation, claiming that the Arab parties do not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The Yashar Party, led by former IDF Chief of Staff Eisenkot, is currently ranked second in the polls, behind Netanyahu's Likud party.
Eisenkot issued a statement saying, 'The boycott campaign is a relic of the last century. A prime minister who blindly leads the nation into historical lows, relentlessly creates division and incitement, and does everything possible to encourage the ultra-Orthodox to evade military service, is unfit to serve the people of Israel—much less to preach the morality of unity.'
He said that his intention to form a broad coalition government means, 'There has been enough boycotting—I will boycott no one, everyone can join.'
He also said that the precondition for joining such an alliance is to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu is currently leading a small coalition consisting of far-right and ultra-Orthodox factions. Recent media polls in Israel predict that the current coalition factions could win at most 53 seats out of the 120 in parliament, not enough for him to form a coalition government again under the current parliamentary structure.
Polls show that the main opposition parties can only form a government by cooperating with Arab parties. However, some opposition parties refuse this kind of cooperation, claiming that the Arab parties do not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The Yashar Party, led by former IDF Chief of Staff Eisenkot, is currently ranked second in the polls, behind Netanyahu's Likud party.
Eisenkot issued a statement saying, 'The boycott campaign is a relic of the last century. A prime minister who blindly leads the nation into historical lows, relentlessly creates division and incitement, and does everything possible to encourage the ultra-Orthodox to evade military service, is unfit to serve the people of Israel—much less to preach the morality of unity.'