Netanyahu losing grip on power
Benjamin Netanyahu suffered a major blow yesterday when his arch-rival secured enough support to try to form a government, in what could mark the dramatic conclusion to a political crisis that has spanned three inconclusive elections.
Benny Gantz, the leader of Blue and White, Israel’s opposition party, will be asked by the country’s president today to begin talks on building a centreLeft coalition, following his surprise endorsement by the Arab voting bloc and a hawkish Rightwinger.
In an unprecedented move, all 15 members of the mainly Arab Joint List threw their weight behind Gantz, a former general. He also received the backing of Yisrael Beiteinu, the leader of the nationalist party, which should provide the 61 seats required for a majority in the Knesset.
Yesterday, a spokesman for Reuven Rivlin, the Israeli president, said: ‘‘Tomorrow, around midday, the president will assign the task of forming the government to the head of Kachol Lavan [Blue and White] ... Benny Gantz.’’
There is no guarantee that the disparate factions will be able to agree terms to form a stable coalition, which could take as long as six weeks.
Other than their mutual dislike of Netanyahu, Beiteinu and the Joint List have virtually no common ground. Ayman Odeh, the head of the Joint List, warned it would withdraw support for
Gantz if he heeded Netanyahu’s call to form an emergency government to tackle coronavirus.
‘‘If Gantz or Netanyahu go to a unity government or an emergency government, we will oppose it,’’ Odeh said. ‘‘But we will recommend Gantz to form the government if he tries to form a centre-Left government.’’
Netanyahu’s alliance, which includes his Right-wing Likud party as well as its religious nationalist ally Yemina and two ultra-Orthodox parties, is seen as more cohesive but is three seats short of a majority.
Netanyahu’s corruption trial, which had been due to begin tomorrow, has been postponed until May due to the coronavirus outbreak. The postponement has stoked tensions between Netanyahu and Gantz, who suggested the prime minister was trying to wriggle out of facing legal action over accusations of bribery and fraud, charges that Netanyahu vehemently denies. ‘‘Someone who wants unity doesn’t delay their criminal trial at 1am,’’ Gantz wrote on Twitter.
Netanyahu took a precautionary test for the virus, which was negative.
Rivlin has stressed the need to avoid a fourth election and the urgency of quickly forming a government to combat the pandemic.
‘‘If Gantz or Netanyahu go to a unity government or an emergency government, we will oppose it.’’
Ayman Odeh Head of the Joint List