Netanyahu to Sa’ar, Bennett: Come home

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on his former political allies, Naftali Bennett and Gideon Sa’ar, to join a government led by him in a statement to the public on Wednesday night.Netanyahu said the public gave a majority to parties on the Right and a stable government can be formed.”Come home to the Right,” Netanyahu told them.Netanyahu warned a left-wing government would not last.Sa’ar responded that it was wrong of Netanyahu to reach out to him on the same day that he and his allies spread conspiracy theories about him and President Reuven Rivlin. “I will keep my promises to the voters,” Sa’ar wrote on Twitter. “I will not join, nor will I support a government led by Netanyahu. The continuation of the rule of Netanyahu, who prefers his personal good to that of the state, harms Israel.”  Sa’ar said a government led by another Likud figure could be formed easily and quickly. He singled out Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, Finance Minister Israel Katz and MK and former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat.

Bennett also appeared to reject Netanyahu’s offer.”Naftali Bennett is concerned about the citizens of Israel, not reserved slots,” his Yamina Party said in a statement to the press. “Bennett will continue making every effort to form a good and stable government that will save Israel from the chaos.”