Netanyahu Rejects Coalition With Arab Parties, Cites Terror Support

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially stated his opposition to forming a government that relies on support from Arab political parties, specifically naming Ra'am and the Joint List. He asserted that these parties openly support terrorism and deny Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, reflecting the sentiment of many Israeli citizens. Netanyahu emphasized that the Likud party has maintained this firm stance throughout the coalition negotiations, having worked from the outset to establish a broad national government. He pointed to the recent election results, where a majority of the Jewish electorate favored Likud, interpreting this as a mandate to lead the next government. The Prime Minister also confirmed his readiness to engage in dialogue with potential coalition partners, stating that his door is open to any faction that shares fundamental security principles and does not endorse terrorist groups. His negotiating teams have been instructed to meet with representatives of parties willing to join a stable government.