Likud senior leaders against Rivlin: "Political actor" • Lapid: "Wild attack""

March 31, 2021   

Speaker of the Knesset Yariv Levin, Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz And the Minister of Homeland Security Amir Ohana They attacked President Reuven Rivlin - after he said this morning (Wednesday) that he would assign the task of forming a government to the candidate with the best chances. "The president does not determine the results of the elections, he is not allowed to be a political player," Likud senior officials responded. "Since the establishment of the state, all Israeli presidents have given the first opportunity to form a government to the candidate who received the largest number of recommendations - and so it should be this time as well." The President's Office rejects the criticism of Likud senior officials against President Reuven Rivlin"The words directed at the president by ministers and the Knesset Speaker do not add respect to what they say, and it would be better for them not to say them. "As the President of the State said a moment ago, the main consideration that will guide him in choosing the candidate to whom he will entrust the task of forming the government is the candidate's chances of forming a government that will gain the trust of the Knesset. This is what all Israeli presidents have done for generations, and this is how the President acted in all previous election campaigns." The Minister Miri Regev She joined the criticism and tweeted about the President's remarks: "President Rivlin's response proves once again that his conduct is not state-like and stems from foreign considerations." Number 10 on the Likud list, Galit Distel Etberian"Until today, we had political media, a political academy, a political attorney's office, and a political Supreme Court. Say congratulations: Now we also have a political president," Coalition Chairman Mickey Zohar Responded to the president's announcement and wrote: "Before deciding, the president should ask himself 2 questions: 1. Who should be tasked with forming a government, the one who received 25% from the public votes, or the one who received 5%? Is it likely that someone who is supported by 5% from the citizens will receive the right to form a government and lead Israel?" Bennett himself admitted that he cannot lead Israel with a small number of mandates. MK Shlomo Kerei From the Likud, he called on Rivlin to disqualify himself: "The president's personal ties and debt to Gideon Sa'ar, the latter's mission to overthrow Netanyahu, along with the president's hostility to the most likely candidate, Netanyahu, oblige the president to transfer the task of forming a government to the next in line according to the law." MK May Golan"The president can certainly retire early because he has long since become a political player. After the unfortunate statement 'My people chose terror,' he is now preaching how to form coalitions, while ignoring a million Likud voters and the fact that it is the largest party. When the media embraces and caresses you, you can trample on any democratic principle." Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri"I am certain that of all the candidates, only Benjamin Netanyahu has the ability to form a stable right-wing government. No other candidate has the ability to form a government. Therefore, I am certain that President Reuven Rivlin will give the mandate to form a government to Netanyahu so that he can work to establish a stable government." Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid Responded to the Likud's attack on the president of the state: "The Likud's attack on the president of the state is further proof that there are two options: either Netanyahu's continued rule and a wild attack on state institutions or joining the change bloc and changing the government." New Hope Chairman Gideon Saar He responded to the attack: "The Likud's savage attack on the president of the state days before his decision according to his authority established by law is another step in the campaign that Netanyahu is waging against all symbols and signs of statehood. Netanyahu is interested in absolute and eternal power while trampling all the systems of the state. The time has come for him to step aside and allow Israel to return to itself." President Rivlin received the official results of the elections for the 24th Knesset this morning, and said: "The main consideration that will guide me in choosing the candidate to whom I will entrust the task of forming the government is the chances of the elected Knesset member to form a government that will win the trust of the Knesset. A government that will be able to heal the rifts between us, and restore Israeli society, which has suffered a very hard blow in the shadow of the Corona pandemic.".