Israeli Labor party chief Shelly Yachimovich vowed Thursday she and her party will not take part in a Netanyahu-led right-wing coalition, in case he wins the Jan. 22 elections.

"There are only two options," she said at a press conference, adding that the Labor party will either lead the government or the opposition against the government.

According to Yachimovich, the decision was made unanimously by members of the party.

Despite claims that Yachimovich is planning to cooperate with Netanyahu after the elections, she put an end to those rumors on Thursday.

"The Labor party is determined to fight to change the leadership and will make every effort to lead a coalition that will be an alternative to the extreme right government that is forming, sponsored by the competition between Netanyahu-Lieberman and their new rival Bennet who is more extreme," she said.

Polls at the moment predict the Likud-Beytenu joint party ( formed as a union of the Likud party and Israel Beytenu, chaired by Netanyahu and former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman respectively) to receive 34 seats in the next parliament (Knesset), a drop from the initial projection of 45 seats the two parties would get together.

A major chunk of Likud's electorate has leaked over the new far- right "Habayit Hayeudi" (the Jewish Home) party led by Naftali Bennet, who is moving up in polls, reaching 14 to 16 seats.

The Labor party is currently the second largest party with 17 seats, yet the right-wing faction in the next parliament is forecast to be bigger than the center-left one.

In a statement issued before the press conference, the Labor party said "the radicalization of the Likud Party manifests itself in all aspects -- economic and social, diplomatic and security and the rule of law and democracy." Endi

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