Netanyahu & Bennett talk for three hours, will meet again

After a three-our meeting on Friday in Jerusalem with PM Binyamin Netanyahu, Yamina leader Naftali Bennett did not say whom he would recommend to the president next week as best candidate for forming a new post-election government. A statement from Bennett’s office said: “The two discussed the need to set up a stable and functioning government with all possible speed and ways to manage this in view of the current political situation.” They arranged to meet again. Bennett meets opposition leader Yair Lapid on Saturday night, after declaring repeatedly that he would not nominate him as preferred premiership candidate. Netanyahu and Lapid are in a  tight contest for premiership nominations. The prime minister is currently ahead.

However, a close ally, Religious Zionism’s Bezalel Smotrich reiterated his strong objection to serving a government that rested on the Arab Ra’am party for a parliamentary support in any form.