Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar took aim again at his party leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, saying he would be unable to form a government should Israel face a third round of elections within a 12-month period.
"Netanyahu has no chance of forming a government, with all the prime minister's rights and his many achievements," Sa'ar said during a tour of Khan al-Ahmar, Bedouin village in the West Bank long slated for demolition.
"Even if, to our great regret, we do have an unnecessary third election, he will still not succeed in forming a government."
Sa'ar, who is seen as the main challenger for the party leadership, said he would remain in the Likud should he be unsuccessful in his bid to oust Netanyahu as Likud boss.
"The Likud is my home," Sa'ar said. "I am competing within the Likud."
The central issues, Sa'ar said, were the future of the Likud and extricating the country from its current political impasse.
"Our focus should be on the future of the state, its citizens, changing the fact that we are going from one election campaign to the next without any chance of forming a government."
Sa'ar has previously said earlier that he were if elected Likud leader and won the elections, he would invite all Zionist parties for coalition talks. he has however declined to say whether he would agree to sit in government under Blue and White leader Benny Benny Gantz.
Neither Netanyahu nor Gantz was unable to form a coalition government after the September elections, the second in a year, triggering a 21-day period in which any lawmaker could propose another to form a government, providing the nominee had the support of 61 colleagues.
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Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz during unsuccessful efforts to form a unity government
(Photo: Elad Malka)
Knesset members have until midnight Wednesday to present a lawmaker who has mustered the support of 61 MKs or the parliament will be forced to dissolve itself and the country will hold fresh elections.
Both Likud and Blue and White agreed Monday that if Israel does hold a third round of elections in a year, they will take place on March 2, 2020.