Israel's opposition leader criticizes Netanyahu after collapse of unity gov't talks

Israel's opposition leader Isaac Herzog criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday for giving up on a "historic opportunity" to promote peace after negotiations over a unity government failed.

Herzog, leader of the center-left Zionist Union List, composed of the center-left Labor and Hatnua movements, said he had ended the negotiations with Netanyahu on Tuesday night after the latter would not submit written commitments following their negotiations.

As of late Wednesday, after a week of holding contacts for Herzog to join his government, Netanyahu is currently in advanced negotiations to have ultranationalist, right-wing lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman join his government.

Whereas Israeli pundits suggested Netanyahu use the negotiations with the Labor party to lure Lieberman and Israel Beytenu Party into his coalition, Herzog announced at a press conference on Wednesday evening it was him who ended negotiations.

"Last night I've announced the cessation of negotiations after we have reached a dead end," Herzog said at the press conference in the Labor party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The lawmaker said he had gained "far-reaching" agreements with Netanyahu, but the latter would not commit in writing to them.

"The Prime Minister refused to do so and demanded to keep commitments, specifically on the two-state solution, as oral understandings. I do not believe in such commitments over such substantial issues," Herzog said.

According to the opposition leader, he was granted a veto over the construction of Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, and was promised an immediate resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians, and a commitment to hold a regional peace summit.

He also said Netanyahu was willing to hand over the foreign ministry portfolio, the economy portfolio and seven other senior posts to members of the Zionist Union List, and relinquish the defense ministry portfolio to the Zionist Union list in a year.

"Throughout the negotiations, all I thought of was the benefit of the country," Herzog said, adding that Netanyahu chose to "give up" on a "historic opportunity" to make a change and pursue peace.

He also denounced his critics from his own Labor party who called him to resign amid the contacts with Netanyahu, saying he had tried to stop the establishment of an "insane" right-wing government, which would lead to more casualties as violence will continue to thrive in the area.

Herzog concluded by saying he would lead the opposition to Netanyahu's government in the Israeli parliament, while harshly rebuking former head of the Labor Party Shelly Yechimovich, who he said led an "aggressive" campaign against him.

With that, Netanyahu and Lieberman are set to meet again on Wednesday night, after announcing earlier the establishment of negotiations teams to finaize the details.

A high-ranking political source told Xinhua that Lieberman has in fact agreed to join Netanyahu's government, after Netanyahu offered him the position of defense minister, which he coveted.

Pundits believe that current Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon will be reassigned to a different position, namely the Foreign Affairs Portfolio.

Netanyahu and Lieberman had worked together in the past, and ran in a joint list in the 2013 elections. Lieberman had served as the Israeli Foreign Minister in Netanyahu's previous government.

The Israeli Prime Minister is making efforts to increase the size of his coalition in order to stabilize it, as it only has a 61-59 majority in the Israeli parliament over the opposition.

Lieberman's party's 6 seats will mean a 67-53 lead over the opposition. The Zionist Union List has 24 elected lawmakers.

The current government marks a year to its formation this month, after Netanyahu's party won the majority of the votes in the national 2015 elections. Endit