Zionist Spirit chairwoman Ayelet Shaked addressed her party's position in the polls today (Monday), making it clear that "we will run to the end," and said that Naftali Bennett does not intend to return to the political system ahead of the elections for the 25th Knesset.
First, Yinon Magal said to Shaked: "There is no better evidence of your desperate situation than you coming to be interviewed by me.".
Shaked replied: "I just missed you. I fight like a lioness and the truth is I thought we had a lot to talk about, you and I." She told Magal and Kasfit: "A government will be formed here and you both need to calm down. Crazy people have come down from the rooftops. In the end, you will sit together.".
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Magal claimed: "I think there is a karmic issue that everyone who did this thing to the right and betrayed their voters along the way, ultimately pays for it. That's why you all flew out of the political system. You won't pass karmically.".
In response, Shaked said: "We did what was right for the country. You remember very well how a year and a half ago, you and I talked about how to get Smotrich to agree to the RAAM. You tweeted, wrote, prepared the hearts, we had countless conversations about how to put pressure on Smotrich. So Abbas with Netanyahu is okay?""
sickle: ""You ended up appointing Tamar Zandberg as minister and Yair Golan and all these people.".
almond: ""I was the right-wing marker of this government. I implemented more right-wing policies than any of the Likud ministers. Netanyahu returned Hebron and voted in favor of the disengagement. He promised to form a right-wing government and then gave Tzipi Livni the justice portfolio.".
Shaked continued: "It was a very difficult juncture and you also know how difficult it was for me and I made a decision.".
Magal: "There is no forgiveness.".
Shaked: "I made a decision based on what is right for the country, not what is right for my personal benefit, and I did not move a millimeter from my values and the values of the country.".
sickle: ""You said that he (Lapid) complicates Israel every day, you know that he is not suitable to be prime minister and you appointed him prime minister.".
almond: ""When your idol puts leftists in the government, it's okay. When others do it, it's not okay, right?""
She later responded to reports that Bennett will return to run in the upcoming election. "Bennett is not returning to political life right now, he took a break, that's his right. In the upcoming elections, from what he has said several times, he is not returning. That's also what he told me yesterday," she said.
During the conversation, Shaked also clarified that "the right wing does not have '61" and spoke about her future political goal. "When Netanyahu calls me after the elections, I will tell him, 'Let's form a broad government now,'" she said, emphasizing to Magal: "I am not boycotting him, you know I have never boycotted him. In the last elections, there was no person who made more efforts than me to form a '61 government.".
sickle: ""In the end you went with Bennett and I told you, 'Don't do it.'".
almond: ""I remember the phone call, but I told you, 'Yinon, there is no other government.' The option is elections and in the end this country needs to get on track.".
sickle: ""You collaborated with their boycott of Netanyahu.".
almond: ""I never boycotted. I tried to do everything possible to form a government and we didn't succeed, so now we have to form a government, it's impossible with this madness.".
The minister claimed: "Both Gantz and Sa'ar know deep down that they will form a government with Netanyahu because there is no other choice. There is nothing to do, look at the data. There is no other alternative, in the end a government has to be formed.".
She added: "Netanyahu, whether you like him or not, he is elected by over a million Likud voters. There is no other government, only a broad government. There is no other choice, a broad and stable government must be formed here, it is impossible to swear a government on the votes of the joint majority. It is impossible.".
mercury: ""Did you run to the end?""
almond: ""Run to the end.".
mercury: ""Commitment?""
almond: ""yes".
sickle: ""Without an apology, no one will vote for you.".
almond: ""I didn't move a millimeter from the values of the right, I didn't return territories, I didn't freeze construction, I didn't release terrorists with blood on their hands. I built settlements in the State of Israel.".
Towards the end of the conversation, Magal spoke honestly and said to Shaked: "What can I tell you? It's a shame, you were a great promise.".
Shaked replied: "It's not a shame, I did what was right for the country, there was no other alternative.".
sickle: ""Let's say you pass the threshold and can complete over 61 for the left bloc with the joint government, is there a way you could do this?""
almond: ""not".
sickle: ""And if it's on Netanyahu's side?""
almond: ""We will bring in a party from the center-left and form a government with the right-wing bloc, that's what will happen.".
mercury: ""And if no center-left party comes?""
almond: ""Come on. In the end, there is national responsibility and there is political wisdom and this is what will happen. There is no other alternative.".
Shaked also addressed the Iranian nuclear issue, criticizing former Prime Minister Netanyahu. "Netanyahu convinced Trump to withdraw the agreement and no alternative was prepared.".
Magal claimed: "Israel has never said that it does not have a military option on the table. Only Bennett, who took office, in order to impeach Netanyahu, said that there is no military option. They did damage to the security of the State of Israel in order to impeach Netanyahu.".
Likud responded to Shaked's words: "Ayelet does not pass the threshold, a vote for Ayelet is a vote for trash.".
