New Hope Party leader Gideon Sa’ar called upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to leave politics if he does not obtain the 61 MKs necessary to form a government in Tuesday’s election.
“The prime minister cannot continue to hold the country hostage,” Sa’ar said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. “Netanyahu likes to tell other party leaders to make pledges. If Netanyahu doesn’t get 61, I call upon him to free the political system of him and let the state move on.”
Sa’ar noted that this is the fourth time in two years where Netanyahu was given a chance to obtain the support of a majority of the public, and that there is no way that a candidate would be given a fourth chance in the United States and other countries.
Sa’ar said that should Netanyahu not obtain 61 MKs necessary, he should clear the way for another Likud leader who could cooperate with New Hope and other parties in forming a coalition.
New Hope backs significant changes in the electoral system to prevent future political stalemates. The party’s plan calls for electing half the Knesset in a direct regional election, enacting eight-year term limits for prime ministers, limiting the number of ministers and ministries, and transferring key powers to local authorities.
Asked about a bill that would prohibit a candidate under criminal indictment from forming a government, Sa’ar said such a bill could not be applied retroactively to the current election, but he would consider passing it for the next one. Such a bill would prevent Netanyahu from forming a government.
“You can’t change the rules in the middle of the game,” he said.
With six days to go before Election Day, Sa’ar said he was not concerned about polls predicting only nine to 10 seats for New Hope – half as many as Yesh Atid, and one-third as many as the Likud. He said that because a hefty percentage of Israelis remain undecided, “the election is starting now.”
“The majority of the undecided are right-wing, and the majority want to replace Bibi,” he said. “Netanyahu doesn’t have 61, and [Yesh Atid head Yair] Lapid can’t form a government. Because we are the only party no party rules out, we will be able to form a government if the public gives us enough support.”
Sa’ar blasted his rivals, saying that “everyone knows Lapid’s views are left of center,” and that “it is becoming increasingly clear [Yamina leader Naftali Bennett] will join a Netanyahu-led government.” But he saved his harshest criticism for Netanyahu.
“Rearranging the chairs around Netanyahu won’t bring the change the country needs,” he said. “Netanyahu wasted NIS 15 billion on an unnecessary election just because he did not want to honor the last coalition agreement he signed. He continues to prefer his own personal interest over the good of the country.”