End of a long suspense in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz announced on Monday the formation of a unity and emergency government, ending the longest political crisis in the country's history in the midst of the Covid pandemic -19.
After 16 months of transitional government, three most unlikely and sometimes most depressing legislative elections and twists and turns for some Israelis, Benjamin Netanyahu, 70, and Benny Gantz, 60, found themselves in the evening just before the start of Yom Hashoah, the "day of the Shoah", which is held from sunset Monday to dusk Tuesday in Israel.
Government of “unity and urgency”
The purpose of these talks was to seal the union between the two former electoral rivals after numerous failed attempts. But this time was finally good. "An agreement for the formation of a national emergency government has been signed" by Benjamin Netanyahu, head of Likud (right), and Benny Gantz, leader of the Bleu-Blanc (centrist) party, said the formations of the two men in a statement.
After legislative elections on March 2 - the third in less than a year, which were finally to decide between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz - President Reuven Rivlin had entrusted the latter with the task of forming the next government.
In the midst of a new coronavirus pandemic, Benny Gantz had caused surprise by paving the way for a government of “unity and emergency” with Benjamin Netanyahu accused of corruption in a series of cases, thus reneging on his commitment not to share power with the outgoing Prime Minister, as long as the latter had not settled his disputes with the law.
The hope of a government agreement was thus on the horizon for many Israelis, others however accusing Benny Gantz, former chief of the army staff, of having surrendered their arms.
But last week, Gantz's term had expired and the Israeli president had mandated the Knesset, the parliament, to propose, in just under three weeks, a new elected official to try to form a government.
At the same time, the Gantz and Netanyahu camps, which together have a majority of parliamentary votes, had continued their talks with a view to forming a unity government.
World
Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz's sprint to finally form a government
World
Coronavirus in Israel: The country will manufacture masks especially for bearded men
- Israel
- Government
- Benyamin netanyahu
- Elections
- World