GANTZ’S ALLIES SHOCKED AT PACT WITH NETANYAHU

Israel’s opposition imploded Thursday after Benny Gantz, the leader of a fragile alliance seeking to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, announced his support for a unity government that would keep the prime minister in power.

In a dramatic U-turn Gantz, who last week was on course to form his own minority government, was elected Speaker of the Knesset amid reports of a backroom deal with Netanyahu.

Under the terms of the deal, Gantz would initially serve as Speaker and foreign minister and then after 18 months Netanyahu would hand over the reins of power.

However, analysts suspect that Netanyahu, whose party stressed Thursday that a deal on a unity government had not yet been reached, will find a way to renege on that promise.

After being elected as Speaker, Gantz vowed to repair divisions in Israeli society and help to overcome the coronavirus. “These are unusual times and they call for unusual decisions,” he said.

“That is why I intend to explore the formation of an emergency unity government.”

However, his appointment sparked a furious backlash in Blue and White, the centre and liberal alliance which styled itself as the only group capable of toppling Netanyahu. Two key partners in Blue and White — the Telem and Yesh Atid parties — immediately filed paperwork to split from the alliance, spokesmen for both factions said.