Benny Gantz, the main rival to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, won the support of the joint list, a coalition of Arab parties, on Sunday to form a government, in what may constitute a possible blow to Netanyahu's plans to stay in power as head of a unity government to combat the outbreak of the Corona virus.

After the country's third inconclusive election in less than a year, Netanyahu's supporters won seats in parliament three times less than the required majority for the majority.

Netanyahu has asked his main rival, General Gantz, to agree to an "emergency government" to fight the global epidemic, but Gantz has appeared cool to date about the proposal, indicating that he will continue to try to form a minority government to topple Israel's longest-held leader in power.