Economy Minister Eli Cohen has responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's decision to return the mandate for forming a government to the president by saying that Blue and White Party leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid and Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman are coordinated in their unwillingness to go to [a] unity [government]."
Interviewed by Galei Tzahal radio, Cohen said, "The Blue-and-White chairman must wake up and agree on an outline that will lead to a broader national government." Cohen blamed Blue and White for the failure of the [Likud Party's] government formation, saying, "We posted an outline. Not 60 seconds passed and they already announced that it is not good. The prime minisster agreed on a meeting. Gantz canceled it the day after."