Will Blue and White form a minority government by Wednesday night’s deadline? The decision lies in the hands of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman.

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have failed to reach an agreement for a unity government and the only probable option for Benny Gantz to form a government is to rely on outside support from the Joint Arab List and form a minority government.

However, virtually all Blue and White MKs are highly skeptical of a minority government supported by the Joint Arab List. Even Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, the party least opposed to it, is lukewarm about the idea. Telem, the most right-leaning party in Blue and White said it will only vote for a minority government if Yisrael Beiteinu joins them.

Telem, which is headed by former IDF chief of staff and defense minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon believes that Liberman, a longtime outspoken opponent of the Joint Arab List, is playing with them and would never sit in the minority government.

Furthermore, Telem MKs Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser, considered the most right-wing figures in Blue and White, completely oppose a minority government with Arab support and may leave Blue and White if such an agreement occurs.

Liberman said on Sunday that he would make a decision on a government by late Tuesday night. Meanwhile he is conducting negotiations with both Likud and Blue and White.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)