President Reuven Rivlin has advised the leader of a blue-white party, Benny Gantz, not to form an Arab-backed minority government, the Israel Broadcasting Corporation said.
The agency said on Monday that Rivlin gave his advice to the official in charge of forming the Israeli government Gants at a meeting held on Saturday evening.
Ahead of Wednesday's deadline for Gantz to form a government, Israeli media said progress had been made between White Blue and the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party headed by former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman to form a minority government.
Lieberman is known for his anti-Arab rhetoric, and has repeatedly refused to ally with them, although Arab parties may support a minority government with Gantz, although one is unlikely to hold a cabinet.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted those close to Gantz as saying that if he agreed with Lieberman, he would discuss with the joint list - which includes four Arab parties - to support this government from abroad.
Security of Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday night against forming a minority government backed by Arab parties as a threat to Israel's security, which Gantz rejected, demanding that Netanyahu back down his incitement, saying that "this incitement must stop immediately."
For their part, lawmakers from the list of Arab parties submitted a complaint to the Knesset Behavior Committee against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his incitement campaign against them, describing them as supporting terrorism and seeking to exterminate Israel.
The incitement came in an effort to dissuade General Alliance leader Benny Gantz, who is in charge of forming a government in Israel, from any attempt to form a minority government backed by the Arab Joint List from abroad in the remaining hours before his mandate expires.
Death threat
In a related context, received two Arab lawmakers in the Israeli Knesset - in recent days - a series of death threats from unknowns, according to an Israeli channel.
The private Israeli Channel 12 said yesterday that MPs Ayman Odeh and Ahmed Tibi - both from the Arab joint list - have received death threats through their phones and social networks in recent days.
Reported that among the messages received Tibi: God willing, a rocket will fall on your children.
According to the channel, Odeh and Tibi asked the Knesset to provide security for them, but he refused.
Tibi said in remarks to the Israeli channel that he and his request for protection in the wake of the threats received, and incitement of Prime Minister Netanyahu outgoing members of the joint list during the Knesset session held last Wednesday.