JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he is open to forming a broad coalition government, contingent upon partner parties renouncing support for terrorism and recognizing the Jewish state.
Netanyahu’s statement comes as he faces the challenge of building a stable majority following Israel's recent parliamentary elections. The Likud chairman emphasized that the Israeli public does not want a government dependent on Ra'am and the Joint List, parties he said support terrorism and reject the existence of the Jewish state.
"The Israeli public does not want a government that depends on Ra'am and the Joint List, parties that support terrorism and reject the existence of the Jewish state," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said a clear majority of the Jewish public chose Likud as the largest party and chose him as prime minister to lead the next government. He aims to form a broad government "with our partners and with any other party that wishes to join, provided they do not support terrorism," adding that he is open to dialogue on the matter.
The statement reflects the ongoing negotiations to form a government after the elections, with Netanyahu setting clear conditions for potential coalition partners while maintaining an offer of inclusivity for parties willing to meet his criteria.
