Netanyahu and Gantz exchange charges .. Is Israel moving towards new elections?

Muhammad Mohsen Wad-Occupied Jerusalem

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin kept the door open in the next 21 days for party negotiations in the Knesset, in order to reach understandings on his proposal for a national unity government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the "Blue White" coalition Benny Gantz.

Rivlin's position comes to avoid the possibility of a third parliamentary election in March 2020, after Gantz re-authorized him on Wednesday evening and officially informed him of his failure to form a narrow government, and to keep negotiating the possibility of forming a government of national unity.

Netanyahu was preceded by a redelegation after failing to form a minority government for the right-wing parties.

Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, anticipated Gantz's announcement that he would hand over the mandate to the president and failed to form a government. Enhances chances for a third election scenario.

Recommendations and trial
Internal conflicts and disagreements have returned to the forefront of the political scene, amid an exchange of charges between Netanyahu and Gantz and the leaders of the right-wing and ultra-orthodox parties for failing to reach understandings to form a government of national rotation, while Israeli society is watching the recommendations of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on the files of Netanyahu's corruption and submitted to the court.

Despite the accusations, Netanyahu adopted the diplomatic rhetoric when he renewed the call for the formation of a national unity government. Israeli.

Netanyahu's comments coincided with a bill submitted by Likud MK Sharen Haskell, which aims to impose Israeli sovereignty on the Jordan Valley, in an attempt to embarrass the White Blue coalition and the Zionist parties and pressure them to accept convergence under a national unity government headed by Netanyahu. It believes that the security control of Israel must remain in the Jordan Valley.

Conflicts and elections
By handing over Gantz's letter of authorization, the Israeli party entered the arena of conflicts and exchanged accusations about not reaching understandings to form a government of national unity. "A third election will not bring serious changes to the balance of power between the parties and the camps," he said. The election results may be repeated. "

He added that "the decisive meeting between Netanyahu and Gantz ended without any progress to form a government, but began a new phase of conflict and the exchange of charges between the camps, which would deepen the differences and continue the crisis of government formation, ruling out the possibility of a breakthrough that would lead to the formation Unity government.

He pointed out that Gantz requires the dismantling of the right bloc, and to be the first in the rotation for the premiership, while Netanyahu dwells on the scenario of forming a government headed by Gantz with the support of the Arabs, in order to remain adhered to the right bloc and within the Likud party by insisting that he be the first in the rotation Ministers even if he is brought to trial.

Scenarios and options
With the deepening crisis of forming a government and seeking a breakthrough in governing Israel before heading to a third election, there are still several political scenarios that occupy the party arena.

Political analysts agree that Lieberman will remain the final arbiter with the formation of a right-wing minority government headed by Netanyahu, or a narrow government headed by Gantz with the support of Arab deputies.

According to estimates by the Israel Today newspaper close to Netanyahu, the latter is sticking to the option of forming a right-wing government, and will not abandon the "right-wing bloc" of the 55 Knesset members in the right-wing, religious and ultra-orthodox parties, and Lieberman may join them with eight seats.

Meanwhile, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, Lieberman does not appear to be in a narrow right-wing government, insisting on a Likud-based national unity government and a "blue-white" coalition.

The narrow government scenario with Arab support faces major obstacles, the most important of which is the fact that it does not have a majority coalition of the Zionist parties, and that its ability to survive over time is unclear.

However, it is possible that this scenario, according to Israeli state radio "Kan", is possible only during the next 21 days during which the mandate to form a government is transferred to the Knesset.

Obstacles and obstacles
In order to form a broad national unity government alternating between Netanyahu and Gantz as suggested by the head of state, Netanyahu, who wants to be the first in the rotation of the premiership to face corruption files that will contribute to ending his political future, is betting on the dismantling of a "blue-white" alliance and the exclusion of a bloc. "There is a future," led by Yair Lapid of the proposed unity government that could win the confidence and support of 83 deputies.

Despite Netanyahu's bet, Lapid, who opposes a Netanyahu-led government over corruption, is unlikely to step aside from a "blue-white" alliance. A national unity government will be formed as proposed by President Rivlin. Lapid will join a Gantz-led government after Netanyahu steps down at trial. Corruption files.

Concessions and elections
He ruled out party affairs correspondent for the newspaper "Israel Today" Matti Tochfeld scenario of forming a government of national rotation, pointing out that the last meeting, which gathered Gantz and Netanyahu, his goal to please Lieberman, who is the final say in the coming days, and may choose a party in the Knesset during the remaining 21 days to form a government.

With the expiration of Gantz's mandate, Tochfeld said: "The conflicts have already begun and the accusations of exchange between Netanyahu and Gantz. The former is not ready to enter the government without the parties of the right and the Haredim, while the second has not announced so far that he is ready to sit in a government headed by Netanyahu."

If all the unity efforts pushed by the head of state fail, Tochfeld says, "the scenario for a third election in March remains the most achievable on the ground," a scenario that began unfounded during the last election campaign and became realistic when it turned out that There is no compromise between parties.

He notes that while a third election scenario is possible and closer to reality, chances of going to the polls are low, due to Lieberman's opposition and the assessment that he favors supporting Gantz or Netanyahu rather than going to the polls.