-
Israel's ex-army chief Gantz gets shot at forming government

Israel's ex-military chief Benny Gantz was due to be nominated Monday to try to form a government but talks continued with his bitter rival, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on an emergency alliance to combat coronavirus.
Gantz, who heads the centrist Blue and White party, won recommendations on Sunday from a thin majority of lawmakers to form a coalition government after almost a year of political paralysis in Israel.
But his path there is difficult given the deep divisions within the factions that backed him, which include the mainly Arab Joint List and the nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu.
Netanyahu -- Israel's longest-serving premier and the first ever to be indicted in office, on graft charges -- has insisted that voters on March 2 elections gave him a mandate to continue as prime minister.
The vote, Israel's third inconclusive election in less than a year, saw Netanyahu's right-wing Likud secure the most seats.
But, along with its religious party allies, Likud fell three seats short of a majority of 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset, or parliament.
President Reuven Rivlin was due to meet Gantz, 60, later on Monday to officially grant him a maximum of 42 days to try to form a government, a task which proved impossible for any candidate following the two elections last year.
Gantz has an "hollow mandate," political columnist Sima Kadmon wrote in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper, referring to the potentially crippling divisions within the anti-Netanyahu camp.
But Rivlin made clear he wants a government in place "as soon as possible," in part to help Israel beat back the COVID-19 pandemic.
He summoned the two rivals on Sunday for an "urgent conversation", which ended without agreement, but Likud and Blue and White said the talks would continue.
After the meeting, Rivlin emphasised the need to "intensify direct contacts... between the Likud and Kachol Lavan negotiating teams, and welcomed both sides' willingness to do so".
But prospects for the two men coming to terms may be remote, especially as mutual acrimony has ramped up in recent days.
A new Knesset will also be sworn in later Monday in a stripped-down ceremony due to COVID-19.
Writing in the left-wing Haaretz newspaper, Raviv Drucker said the pandemic "could be our political establishment's miracle," forcing a compromise that has proved elusive over the past year of political deadlock.
Israel has 250 confirmed cases of coronavirus with no fatalities but tens of thousands in home-quarantine.
Authorities have banned gatherings of more than 10 people and ordered schools, universities, restaurants and cafes to close, among other measures.
Netanyahu, 70, on Sunday proposed a six-month unity government that he would lead to manage the response to the pandemic.
He also offered a four-year arrangement that would see the two leaders equally split the job of prime minister.
"Gantz doesn't believe a single word Netanyahu says," columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Aharonot, arguing against the prospects of an alliance.
But, Barnea added, coronavirus could prove "key to a deal".
Gantz has also previously refused to serve in any government led by someone facing criminal charges, but that was before the coronavirus crisis.
Netanyahu was in January formally charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
He denies wrongdoing.
His trial had been due to open on Tuesday, but Jerusalem's District Court postponed it to May 24, blaming the pandemic.
The prime minister's rivals cried foul, accusing him of using the coronavirus public health crisis to push back his long-anticipated day in court. levant
source: AFP levant
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors Gulf Uni...
- April 17, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!