Netanyahu. 'We cannot leave State without government'
Photo: AP
Shalom. 'Livni sabotaging political procedure'
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Sa'ar. 'Likud showed responsibility'
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Netanyahu says will form government soon
Likud chairman tells his faction he won't be wasting time. 'We plan to form a broad national unity government, and I hope Kadima accepts this call.' MK Silvan Shalom: We demand that Kadima members stop their tricks and deals
A day after Kadima
Chairwoman Tzipi Livni
said
she was the one who should be forming the new government, Likud
Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu
stated that the people have spoken and that the national camp would be the one to form a government soon.
The Likud chairman told his faction members, "My desire is to lead a stable government which will be able to function, a broader government than our natural coalition. But it will be their decision. They will receive an offer, a good offer, a generous one, but it will be their decision.
Speaking at the start of the Likud faction meeting on Monday, Netanyahu said, "I estimate we will be forming the government. We have a government in our hands, but we want a broader one, and this is the direction we are going to."
No Sharing
Amnon Meranda
Ynet learns factions argue over use of parliament building's largest room, traditionally assigned to largest faction. Kadima refuses to allow Likud to use room for meeting, says 'We remind Likud we are the largest faction in the Knesset'. Likud source says, 'Kadima always excelled in petty politics'
"I don't plan to waste any time," Netanyahu clarified, saying he would turn to the Likud's natural partners, as well as to Kadima. He said there was no time to waste in light of the multitude of threats faced by Israel.
"I plan to form a government as soon as possible with our natural partners and turn to the other parties, headed by Kadima, and tell them that in the face of the multitude of these threats, in the face of the multitude of these challenges, we plan to form a broad national unity government and I hope Kadima will accept this call of mine.
"In any case, we cannot leave the State of Israel without a government and we will form a government as soon as possible."
According to Netanyahu, "The Israeli voter made a clear decision to take the road of strength. The voter rejected the current government's way and demanded that the national camp led by us will form the next government."
The Likud chairman told his faction members of his meeting with Sergey Lavrov earlier in the day, during which he briefed the Russian foreign minister on the economic and security-related challenges faced by Israel.
Sa'ar: Kadima acting irresponsibly
Knesset Member Silvan Shalom said, "We demand that Kadima members stop their tricks and deals. Livni spoke about clean politics, but is doing everything in order to sabotage the legitimate political procedure."The faction chairman, MK Gideon Sa'ar, said that "Netanyahu is the only candidate who had other parties endorse him for prime minister during the election campaign. Four factions in the new Knesset consisting of 45 MKs have already said they would recommend Netanyahu to the president.
"We hope two additional parties will do the same thing. We have had pleasant talks with them. But it's already completely clear that the number of MKs recommending Netanyahu is higher than the number of MKs who will recommend Livni.
"There are in Kadima who say Netanyahu doesn't have 61 supporters or won't have 61 supporters," Sa'ar added. "It should be mentioned that five months ago President Peres tasked Livni with forming the government based on the recommendation of only 38 Knesset members. We showed responsibility at the time and did not play any unnecessary political games.
"What Kadima is doing today is a negative thing. They know Livni has no chance of forming a government, but they don't mind hurling the political system into an unnecessary spin. This the clearest form of national irresponsibility. It's all motivated by one thing only – Livni's desire to enter a rotation arrangement as prime minister while she knows she is incapable of forming a government."
