Smotrich asked about Yair Golan — and surprised: "I don't boycott anyone"

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a podcast of "Aharon Yediot" that he would join a government with Netanyahu and Eisenkot, but not without Ben Gvir: "I'm not willing to boycott." Regarding Yair Golan, he said: "an extreme leftist," "a man of hate," but stated that "if they want a unity government — with everyone."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in an interview on the podcast of "Aharon Yediot" that he would not agree to form a government with Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot if Itamar Ben Gvir is not a partner. According to him, "I'm not willing to boycott." Smotrich was asked about Baruch Marzel's claim that Ben Gvir had previously agreed to sit with Ra'am, and replied: "No, absolutely not." He added that "there was a lunar eclipse also on the right" and that "good people followed the false sweet talk of Mansour Abbas," claiming that he himself warned and prevented the move. Regarding the elections, Smotrich said that the right-wing bloc could reach more than 61 seats, provided everyone votes and votes are not wasted on parties that do not pass the electoral threshold. He did not rule out adding more forces from the opposition after the decision: "Anyone who wants, we don't boycott." When asked if he would sit with Yair Golan, he replied: "Yair Golan in my opinion won't come. He is an extreme leftist," and added that Golan "compared me and you to Nazis" and that "he is a man of hate." Nevertheless, he stated: "If they want a unity government — with everyone." Smotrich emphasized that his priority remains a government with his partners in the right-wing bloc: "I am a man of the national camp, I go with my natural partners," and added: "I will not let Religious Zionism be 'homeless.'"