The leaders of the Blue & White party announced on Thursday they were unwilling to accept Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s call to sit and meet towards establishing a broad-based national unity coalition government. The Prime Minister on Thursday called on “Benny” in his reference to Blue & White chairman, MK Benny Gantz.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu and Benny Gantz were photographed shaking hands and talking warmly at a memorial held in Yerushalayim for former PM Shimon Peres.
Netanyahu had also released a video statement on Thursday calling on Gantz to join a unity government that he would form. He said he was willing to meet “anytime, anyplace, to discuss forming a unity government”
The party responded, with an official telling Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) they speak in the name of Gantz, citing the offer made by PM Netanyahu was nothing more than a “media stunt” and that he is working to set the stage for yet a third round of voting, well-aware that he lost the election and unable to form his own coalition.
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[SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Israeli Elections 2019 #2 for Dummies]
The number two man on the Blue & White list, MK Yair Lapid, stated Mr. Netanyahu is dragging the nation to another election because he cannot accept the loss. This is the goal of the media spins and when his people do not support him, he tries to change his people.
ח"כ @yairlapid: "נתניהו מנסה לגרור את ישראל למערכת בחירות שלישית. זו מטרת כל הספינים שהוא זורק לאוויר בשעות האחרונות". את הדברים אמר במסיבת עיתונאים של כחול לבן • צפו pic.twitter.com/19G8uEL2It
— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) September 19, 2019
Party leader Gantz decided to respond publicly as well after senior party officials told the media there was no deal to be made with Netanyahu. MK Gantz told the press he is willing to establish a broad-based national unity coalition government which he will lead. He made his comments during the opening of a faction meeting.
He added, “It is fitting that we all place the good of the nation before all other considerations…” He added that according to the Central Elections Committee, his party received 33 seats, making it the largest party.
“The nation wanted national unity following the last election” added Gantz, a broad-based liberal coalition, citing the party will not respond to any dictate.
“Negotiations will require patience and determination – without shortcuts. The government that will be established must be effective and have the ability to be in control. Political paralysis will not benefit Israel’s citizens…”
Gantz insists the prime minister is working to “drag Israel to elections again”.
גנץ עונה בתקיפות להצעת רה"מ להקים ממשלת אחדות: כחול לבן ניצחה בבחירות, אני אקים את הממשלה pic.twitter.com/gKVuRuGSR5
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) September 19, 2019
MK Avigdor Lieberman immediately responded, calling the prime minister’s statements “deceptive”. He insists this is nothing more than political posturing to bring Israel to a third election for Knesset amid the realization his election bid failed.
Lieberman criticized the coalition partners of Netanyahu; including Shas, stating the coalition is not right-wing. Lieberman reminded the nation that Shas abstained in the vote for the Oslo Agreement. Lieberman feels another coalition partner are the “Messianics who wish to implement a state back to the days of David HaMelech, Torah laws, and to turn universities into schools for prophecy. Netanyahu gave away Hebron to Arafat and voted in favor of the expulsion from Gaza. He certainly is right-wing but a plain nudnik”.
Lieberman released a public call to Netanyahu, “to stop the playing around and politics and other maneuvers”.
Mr. Netanyahu is aware that he will not likely succeed in establishing a right-wing government, as Avigdor Lieberman announced he will only enter a broad-based national unity coalition government. That being the case, the right-wing/chareidi bloc lacks six seats for a simple majority. Therefore, the prime minister realized negotiating with Gantz remains his only option.
However, Gantz has stated on numerous occasions that while he would talk with Likud, he would not enter into a coalition for as long as PM Netanyahu heads the party due to the numerous criminal investigations against him and the likelihood that he will face criminal indictments.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
Ganz and his B/W leadership were able to form a block around very few shared themes but one common denominator was contempt for Bibi and his morally challenged leadership and corruption. They would be more than willing to sit with Likud, just not a Likud with a soon-to-be indicted leader at the table. Moving out Bibi would also bring Lieberman into the coalition and provide Rivlin with an easy path forward. Instead, we have ONE person whose fear of criminal indictment driving the entire political process….the insatiable demand of one person to cling to power and avoid possible imprisonment takes priority over a national unity government.
Gadolhadorah: Well said!!
No one else but Bibi is fit to lead
Gantz needs Arabs to form a coalition. How’s he going to do it, otherwise?
lakewhut, watch and see. the Arabs will support Gantz and NOT join the ruling coalition. Many Likud members will defect and join Gantz and Lieberman in forming a government. perhaps shas or labor or barak will join. the right wing and UTJ will be observers.
Bibi and Litzman will be able to complete 2 cycles of daf yomi as they enjoy their new accommodations.
Bibi will remain the PM as we wait for another election.
DrYidd you’re a communist. 10 years of being a PM of Israel is more relevant than you’ll ever be.
Ganz and his B/W leadership were able to form a block around very few shared themes but one common denominator was contempt for Bibi . They would be more than willing to sit with Likud. Moving out Bibi would also bring Lieberman into the coalition and provide Rivlin with an easy path forward. Instead, i want to apologize for always talking not nicely on YWN. I dont really care about Israeli polotics. I am trying to work on myself to only comment positively in all conversations here. Please forgive me for my sometimes disruptive comments!
Kesivah V’Chasima Tovah
Dragging the knesset into another election?! Ha….And last election?? When it was clear that Netanyahu was the winner? Who dragged the nation into another election then?
There’s too much to say and it’s too much of a waste of time to sit and type it out…bunch of hypocrites time and again.
To GadolhaTorah: Your first effort to mimic my postings with a vow of Tshuvah was actually humorous. The subsequent repetition of the same troll is otherwise boring (unless the Mods appreciate name appropriation which is fine with me). Also, G’mar tov but consider getting some new writers for the new year.
lakewhut, I forgive you for your insult of me. your insults to gedolai yisroel who are no longer in this world is only forgiven if you repent, pass every YK in a state of repentance, suffer yisurim and then take a very long nap.
i agree that bibi is more relevant than me, but so were Madoff and many others.
Godolhadufus PLEASE stop commenting your poison – if you insist then please read it through first.
Soon we’ll all see how fragile the ‘last minute’ Blue and White camp really is. Boogey Ayalon Hates Lapid and has lambasted him in public for his incitement against Charedim. No-one in Israel wants Lapid as Prime minister on a rotation, and Lapid won’t give up his demand to be PM. Lapid will split from Blue and white.
B and W will join together with Bibi and likud and the Charedim -(Not Leiberman- everyone hates him) -they’ll rotate PM between Gantz and Bibi and Sholom al Yisroel…..
JPost is reporting a coalition with the Joint List. Is that reality?