The Israeli president tries to break the political blockade

The hopes of the vast majority of the nine million inhabitants of Israel to avoid a third general election in less than a year are placed in the mediation art of its president Reuven Rivlin.

After finalizing the consultations held with the representatives of the elected parties, Rivlin clarified that, although he had "magical powers", everything depends on the leader of the Blue and White centrist block, Benny Gantz (33 seats), and the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, (31), to whom he has called for an extraordinary meeting tonight in his office in Jerusalem.

Before commissioning without much expectation the formation of the Government to Gantz (two more seats as a party) or Netanyahu (one more deputy as a block), the president wanted to probe the possibilities of a unit Executive . And above all reduce mutual mistrust and bring positions between two leaders who, free of majority and if they do not want new elections, seem doomed to alternate the government headquarters and agree who starts.

Before, they should alternate in breaking electoral promises. Gantz said he would not govern with Netanyahu due to his imputation for corruption prior hearing on October 2, while the Likud leader said he would not break the block with his usual partners on the right.

In the first 'screen' of a game that can last until December, Netanyahu received on Monday the recommendation of 55 deputies (Likud, two ultra-Orthodox parties and the nationalist Yamina) to form the Government by 54 Gantz. A doubtful achievement, because neither of them wants to be the first to receive the assignment, since it is believed that he will have more chances of failing than the second. What they do want to be is the first in the rotation.

Election campaign

"In the circumstances created, the only government that can be created is a broad one of unity government and the only way to do this is to sit down talk without preconditions and without boycotting anyone to form a good government for Israel," Netanyahu said before the meeting and contradicting his words in an election campaign against an Executive with Gantz. The change in the background and form of the Likud leader's message is that the polls seven days ago did not give him the right-wing majority of 61 seats he was looking for to maintain his current coalition. And as an attractive dessert, although according to its critics as the only set, the coalition that helps you achieve immunity so as not to be judged.

The "rookie" Gantz, who received two seats more than the most cunning politician in Israel, has not obtained the recommendation of 57 deputies because three legislators from one of the four members of the Arab Joint List were unmarked from the support announced this Sunday . The support of the remaining 10 members of the Arab formation is historic. The last time the representatives of the Arab minority (21%) recommended the commission of the formation of the Israeli Government goes back to 1992 with Labor Isaac Rabin . As their own leaders admit, the decision is not so much in favor of Gantz, with which they maintain differences, as against Netanyahu.

Arab Participation

Its passage also reflects the growing social phenomenon of "Israelization" of Palestinians with Israeli nationality and the desire to influence state affairs for the benefit of a sector that, along with the ultra-Orthodox, is the most disadvantaged. According to a survey by the Israeli Institute for Democracy, 76% of Israeli Arabs support the participation of their parties in the Government .

Armed with the support of 54 legislators (Blue and White, the left-wing Meretz party, Labor and the majority of the Arab bloc), Gantz made an appointment tonight after meeting with Avigdor Lieberman. Netanyahu's former ally, who has turned his Israel Beitenu party into a hinge, did not recommend anyone. "Gantz and Lieberman exchanged ideas and comments," say sources close to the two.

"I have not changed my mind. I will only be part of a government of secular unity without ultra-Orthodox, Messianic and Arab politicians," Lieberman announced before giving an original solution to Gantz and Netanyahu: "Stop acting like children and agree on a Government of secular unity. If you disagree on who is the first in the rotation, solve it by throwing a coin in the air. "

According to the criteria of The Trust Project