The editor of the newspaper Makor Rishon, Hagai Segal, attacked the chairman of Religious Zionism, Bezalel Smotrich, in his column in the newspaper this morning (Friday).
""Will historians award a medal to Bezalel Smotrich, who disqualified Abbas from everything and everything? Not sure. Smotrich, the most consistent figure in the late right-wing bloc, behaved in a megalomaniac manner in recent months," Segal claimed in an article he wrote in his newspaper. "He sought to create a rift with Bennett at the beginning of the election campaign, appropriated the 'religious Zionism' brand for himself, and did not consult anyone before announcing the boycott of Abbas.
'"Even Itamar Ben-Gvir at one point showed signs of flexibility on the matter, not to mention senior Haredi rabbis, but Smotrich decided that religious Zionism was him, only him, and thus sealed the fate of Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc. A wise and talented man like him should have taken into account that if Netanyahu did not align himself with Abbas, Lapid and Bennett would align themselves with him, but he fell in love with the principle and probably with himself as well.".
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The editor of Makor Rishon added: "It's a shame that Smotrich didn't show similar determination in May two years ago, when Netanyahu hurriedly dissolved the new Knesset and went to second elections. Smotrich could have vetoed the hasty move, but he was afraid of going against Netanyahu. This time, he wasn't afraid, and that's how we got here.".
'"Two and a half years of problematic right-wing behavior led to the establishment of a strange government. 'A government of opposites,' Dr. Avshalom Kor calls it; it is also possible to have a 'government of change,' and some other change, just not a unity government, please.".
