T. Belman. Looking good. Blue and White has agreed to Liberman’s demands re religion. The Likud block has no choice but to do likewise. This is what I have been recommending.
If President Ford could give a pardon to Pres Nixon for far greater crimes than Netanyahu has been accused of, surely the same principles suggest that Netanyahu be pardoned by Liberman. Considering what Netanyahu has done for Israel and considering how insignificant the potential indictments are, we should put it all behind us and move on.
In a joint statement of Likud and Yisrael Beytenu, both sides reported progress and called the discussion “professional and good.”
By GIL HOFFMAN, JPOST
NOVEMBER 18, 2019 06:08
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman will conduct fateful shuttle diplomacy on Monday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz that will decide whether Gantz will form a minority government by Wednesday night’s deadline.
The four leaders of Blue and White decided late Sunday to await the results of Liberman’s meeting with Netanyahu before making a final decision on whether to give on forming a unity government and instead build a minority coalition backed from outside by a parliamentary safety net from the Joint List.
“We all agree that taking the country to a third election now would be completely insane,” Liberman said at an event in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening. “We have to do everything possible to bring about a wide unity government.”
Liberman said that “a minority government would be a disaster.” But when asked whether he could enable the formation of a minority government with Arab support, he only responded that avoiding a third election is essential.
“The next 48 hours are critical to understand if we have a unity government,” said Liberman, who said he would only announce his final decision late Tuesday night.
Netanyahu and Liberman met for an hour on Sunday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tel Aviv. But Netanyahu had to leave to a rally against a minority government, so the two agreed to continue their meeting on Monday. Netanyahu noticeably made a point of not attacking Liberman in his speech at the rally.
In a joint statement of Likud and Yisrael Beytenu, both sides reported progress and called the discussion “professional and good.”
Meanwhile, Blue and White is rapidly advancing coalition agreements with both Yisrael Beytenu and Labor-Gesher. Blue and White agreed to Liberman’s demands on drafting yeshiva students, conversion, public transportation and stores remaining open on Shabbat and enabling egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall.
“Significant progress has been made toward drafting fundamental principles, particularly with respect to issues of religion and state,” Blue and White and Yisrael Beytenu said in a joint statement following coalition talks on Sunday afternoon.
The fact that after the meeting representatives of the two parties announced they would meet again late Sunday and Monday was seen as a sign that the coalition talks were very serious.
Labor-Gesher leader Amir Peretz also used the words “significant progress” following his faction’s meeting with Blue and White on Thursday. Talks between Blue and White and Labor-Gesher continued to advance on Sunday.
Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu and Labor-Gesher together have 47 seats. The Democratic Union would give the coalition five more seats. It is possible that either all 13 Joint List MKs, or at least the 10 not affiliated with the extremist Balad Party will support a minority government from outside the coalition with a parliamentary safety net, resulting in a government with 65 or 62 seats. Another possibility is that only four Arab MKs back the coalition, which would be enough to trump Netanyahu’s bloc of 55 MKs on the Right.
President Reuven Rivlin said on Sunday during a visit to Netivot that “it is still possible to build a government” and that the gaps between the parties were “personal.” He will meet with the Likud’s negotiating team on Tuesday and with the heads of Shas, United Torah Judaism and the New Right on Wednesday.
“There is no need for an additional election,” Rivlin said. “I call upon Likud and Blue and White to get their act together and realize that the public does not want another election.”
@ Adam Dalgliesh:I have been telling you to buy a new crystal ball for a while now.
So there will be a third election UNLESS a Knesset member can get 60 signatures besides their own in the next 21 days and then form a coalition. Unlikely at this point but possible.
@ Adam Dalgliesh:Crystal ball gave you this information again.
@ Bear Klein: Gantz has the votes to form a “minority” government. There will be no new election.
Gants, Leiberman, Ayman and Tibi have all said publicly over the past few days that that is what is going to happen if Netanyahu doesn’t accept their terms for a unity government. And Bibi has rejected their terms unequivocally. So have people close to them speaking “off the record” to Israeli reporters.
All the Israeli commentators and editorialists seem to be in denial. “Groupthink” at its worst.
So Unity Government looks out.
I am skeptical Liberman will accept what was offered him as a compromise for a narrow right wing – religious government. I hope but I am not optimistic.
Assuming Gantz will turn in his Mandate by midnight Wednesday, that then provides 21 days for someone to 60 signers to a petition to have them become the Prime Minister. This could still be Gantz or Bibi or any other MK.
If someone gets 60 signatures besides their own they then have 14 days to form a coalition. Could Bibi get the Haredi to form a coalition with Liberman during this time. Skeptical but possible as no-one wants new elections.
If this does not happen then it will be new elections on I believe the day in March that Purim falls on. A third election is befitting Purim. It will jazz up the election. Israelis get drunk on Purim so that would make for interesting voting!
Gil Hoffman said – Bibi – Gantz meeting lasted just over an hour and he thinks this is a bad sign.
According Channel 13 what at the moment is holding up a Unity government is Lapid does not want to agree to Bibi being the first in a rotation of PMs. Rivlin’s compromise formula called for Bibi to be first and Gantz was willing to agree.
So Gantz either breaks from Lapid or he will not be PM at all if things stay status quo. Lapid does not want to serve under Bibi and does not believe him that he will step down at the appointed time.
If Liberman wants a secular society he can move back to Russia , move to Canada or the US. It is Israel , Judaism is part of it. Stop the secularization Ted. Or move to Tel Aviv. It is certainly secular enough there that it was named the most gay friendly place by Out Magazine.
Ahh… But Lieberman has a proven history as a serial ‘viper’! Watch his leopard spots…It is only a matter of time before Lieberman strikes again.
This article in Arutz Sheva indicates that Leiberman has all but committed himself to join the Blue-White-led coalition, in return for a promise by Gantz to support Leiberman’s secularization agenda. This seems to confirm my theory that Leiberman’s main concern at this point is to leave behind a “legacy” of progress towards secularizing Israeli society, and disestabling Orthodox Judaism as the official state religion.
Since Likud has decided not to break its alliance with the religious parties, the only way that Leiberman can advance it is by joining a left-Arab coalition led by Blue-White.
Agreements between Liberman and Gantz revealed
Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu, set to sign coalition agreement including list of laws opposed by haredi parties.
Bennett opening his first meeting with the military chiefs with a prayer, even though he has never been known to be especially religious, signals his determination to retain the status of Orthodox Judaism as the State religion, even in the army. And the Jewish Home party with which he is affiliated is an integral part of the Likud coalition. That is why Leiberman can only join a Blue-White coalition if he cares about his :legacy.”
@ Sebastien Zorn:Blue/White will not be able to form a minority government even if they wanted to in theory and if this was not just all a bluff to get Bibi to break up the right wing / religious block of 55 and just have the Likud join with the Blue/White.
Ted , where is the new government in Jordan from last January? the 3rd election would show the will of the people. Gantz will give in to the PLO. Where is everyone’s brain?
How can Blue and white form a minority government with fewer than 60 seats? If Blue and White can do it, why couldn’t Likud when the Right coalition had more seats? Is it up to Rivlin? Who appoints the election committee that decides who can run? How can the Arabs back from the outside and that be counted? And why would a third election, with Bibi remaining in office in the interim, be a disaster, especially considering the alternatives? None of this makes the slightest bit of sense to me. It seems like the left has so entrenched itself in the Deep State that it’s “heads I win, tails, you lose.”
So what’s Lieberman holding out for? A penthouse apt., a roller convertible, 2 or 3 wives, pence, . what has the blackmailer offered Israel? Is he the one who had the high court put traif on the menu? As an m k whats his track record? Make him at home as ambassador to say iran, n. Korea, Afghanistan, s. Africa.