Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog called upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to debate him in English Wednesday in an interview with The Jerusalem Post\’s Election Arena, a series of video interviews with candidates.
Herzog has been calling for Netanyahu to debate him for weeks but Netanyahu has not accepted the challenge. Herzog was asked in the interview whether he would consider challenging the prime minister to debate him in English, which might persuade Netanyahu, because of his strength in the language.
"I have no problem debating Bibi in English in Hebrew or even Arabic, except Yiddish, which I\’m not so good at," Herzog said.
A response from the Likud is expected by Thursday. A source close to Netanyahu said he would only debate Herzog if it would be a one-on-two debate with the two Zionist Union candidates for prime minister who would rotate in the job if they win the election.
"The prime minister will consider a debate on television with the candidates of the Left to form the next government, Buji and Tzipi, when he returns from the US," the Likud said in a statement.
The Jerusalem Post challenged all the party leaders to a debate Wednesday just as Channel 2 did in Hebrew Tuesday.