Lapid vows not to form bloc with Arabs

Lapid told Channel 12’s Meet the Press program: “We don’t need the Arabs for a blocking majority, because we will win.”

By GIL HOFFMAN
Yesh Atid Party Leader Yair Lapid, October 22, 2018 (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Yesh Atid Party Leader Yair Lapid, October 22, 2018
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated claims that the new Blue and White party intends to join Arab parties in blocking him from forming a government are false, the party’s leaders said on Saturday.
“Despite what Netanyahu has made up, no bloc is being formed with the Arab parties, period!” Yair Lapid wrote on Twitter. “Bibi created an imaginary story, and everyone is repeating it.”
Lapid told Channel 12’s Meet the Press program: “We don’t need the Arabs for a blocking majority because we will win.”
He promised on the program that a joint platform of Blue and White will be reached by representatives of his Yesh Atid and Israel Resilience Party leader Benny Gantz within two weeks.
Sources denied reports that the parties have decided to dismantle themselves after the April 9 election and completely merge into one party.
Lapid has ruled out joining a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit’s decision that is expected as early as Thursday to indict Netanyahu pending a hearing.
Gantz has not made such a commitment, but Lapid said he was just waiting to see the indictment before saying it.
Both Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman and New Right co-chairman Naftali Bennett ruled out joining a government led by Gantz and Lapid on Saturday.