The leader of Israel’s Blue and White bloc, Benny Gantz, and the head of the Labor Party in the Zionist state, Amir Peretz, reaffirmed in a meeting yesterday that they will continue their joint efforts to mobilize support for a coalition government, Israeli media reported.
The meeting came a day after Knesset member Orly Levy-Abekasis declared that she was no longer committed to the views of her left-wing political partners because they have been trying to form a coalition that would be dependent on Palestinian MKs.
#Israel: #JointList MKs to Meet #BlueandWhite Delegation today https://t.co/SlrDEwzT1T via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/iULBIv2ipM
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 11, 2020
At the same time, Andre Kogenov MK of Blue and White revealed that the Likud led by Benjamin Netanyahu had made several offers to him to leave his party and join the ruling bloc.
Likud has been trying to persuade left-wing MKs to defect and join the right-wing alliance in order to form a new government.
According to Arab48.com, Peretz does not want to criticize Levy-Abekasis publicly so as to leave the door open for her to rejoin her left-wing partners.
Meretz leaders savage Levy-Abekasis for 'betrayal' in opposing Gantz government | Labor's Amir Peretz, who recruited her, is strangely silent. https://t.co/fAzv2p38gD
— Tikun Olam (@richards1052) March 11, 2020
Meanwhile, the far-right leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, insisted that his position on cooperating with the Joint List of Palestinian MKs “has not changed”.
The Times of Israel reported him saying:
“We are not obligated to provide Netanyahu with intel or calming pills. We will make decisions according to the national interest and our promises to voters.”
Lieberman pointed out that Netanyahu cooperated with [Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat and Arab parties “more than anyone else.”
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
