Coalition head MK Miki Zohar said on Thursday he did not believe the emerging government would last long enough for Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to succeed Yamina chief Naftali Bennett as prime minister.
In an interview with the Ynet studio, Zohar talked about the upcoming change of guard in Knesset and drew comparisons between the government-in-waiting, led by Bennett and Lapid, and the departing one, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz — both of are two-headed coalitions whose leaders were supposed to share the premiership for two years each as part of a rotation deal.
The current government collapsed after just one year in power — in a term that was marred with recurring disputes and disagreements — long before Gantz could take the position of prime minister as agreed upon between his Blue & White party and Netanyahu's Likud party.
"Whoever thought this unity government with Blue & White could have been sustained was wrong. It was a mistake joining it and we saw exactly how things were running on a day-to-day basis — how the government did not function and how its members were at each other's throats, so it did not survive," the Likud whip said.
"That is the reason Gantz did not get the rotation, because this couldn't have been a functioning government. And this incoming government won't function either, and that is why Lapid won't become prime minister."
Zohar went on to claim that the emerging rainbow coalition government, which is comprised of a loosely knit bind of parties from all over the political spectrum, would be "paralyzed" in its decision-making but that its left-wing flank would always come on top on "all fundamental and crucial" issues since the right-wing Bennett would not have any supporters left after joining Lapid to form a coalition — a highly controversial among right-wing voters.
"There is no public that backs and supports him, so if he does not agree with the positions of the left — he will eventually go back to his private life and will not be able to remain an elected public official anymore because no one would back him in another election campaign."
However, the coalition chairman has ruled out any last-ditch move that could turn the tables and impede the inauguration of the new government on Sunday, and vowed to continue serving the people of Israel from the opposition.