Benny Gantz reportedly strikes deal with small parties in bid to form government
Main rival of embattled PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he had a good meeting with Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beitenu
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief rival said he has agreed with a smaller party to work together to form a new government following national elections last week.
The announcement by Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, dealt a new setback to Netanyahu as he struggles to hold on to power ahead of his upcoming trial on corruption charges.
In a statement, Gantz said that he had a good meeting with Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the small Yisrael Beitenu party.
“We discussed questions of fundamental principle and determined that we will work together to assemble a government that will pull Israel out of the political deadlock and advert a fourth round of elections,” Gantz said.
In last week’s election, Israel’s third in under a year, Netanyahu’s Likud Party emerged as the largest party.
But with his smaller religious and nationalist allies, he secured only 58 seats in parliament, three short of the required 61-seat majority needed to form a new government.
Netanyahu’s opponents, led by Gantz, control a majority of seats.
But beyond their shared animosity towards Netanyahu, there are deep divisions between these parties, which include Lieberman’s secular, ultra-nationalist party and the Arab-led Joint List.
Gantz’s announcement with Lieberman marked a step toward unifying those anti-Netanyahu forces, though it remains unclear whether they can reach a final agreement, much less a deal with Arab politicians.
Lieberman has in the past branded Arab political leaders as terrorist sympathisers.
“We’ll continue to discuss the details, formulate our common objectives, and move forward,” Gantz said.
Netanyahu is desperate to remain as prime minister as he prepares to go on trial on March 17.
He has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in connection to a series of scandals that include accepting expensive gifts from wealthy friends and offering to exchange favours with powerful media moguls.
The long-ruling Israeli leader denies any wrongdoing.
Netanyahu’s lawyers have requested a delay in the start of the trial, saying they need more time to review evidence.
Prosecutors on Monday said they oppose any delays.
Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, must decide by next week who to choose as the prime minister-designate.
The president typically chooses the candidate he deems has the best chance of forming a governing coalition.
That is usually the leader of the largest party, in this case Netanyahu.
But if he believes Gantz has a better chance, he could give the former military chief the first crack at cobbling together a coalition.
An endorsement from Lieberman would increase Gantz’s chances of success.
Lieberman is a former Netanyahu ally who has turned into a tough rival who appears bent on toppling his former mentor.
Lieberman has expressed support for a new bill that would ban an indicted politician like Netanyahu from forming a new government after a national election.
If the legislation passes, it could end Netanyahu’s career.
Netanyahu has defiantly insisted he won last week’s election and accused his opponents of trying to “steal the elections” by aligning with Arab-led parties he claimed were hostile to the state.
“I promise you, I am not going anywhere,” Netanyahu said over the weekend.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
