Labor Party chairman Avi Gabbay has refused an offer to join the coalition and be given the Finance Ministry to forestall new elections.
According to a report by Channel 12, Prime Minister Netanyahu approached the Labor party and offered Gabbay the Finance Ministry and three other portfolios.
In addition, it was suggested to the Labor Party that the coalition would not pass the immunity laws or the overrule clause.
According to the report, sources close to Gabbay said the proposal had been carefully considered.
Gabbay himself said in response that he rejects the proposal. "Last month Labor received a number of proposals to join the government, and last night's proposal included a commitment to a package of measures to preserve democracy, including the annulment of the legislation of the Override Clause, immunity, personal laws and more."
"The faction members discussed the proposal and decided not to accept the proposal," said Gabbay. Our position is that there is no place for additional elections, and that the president must give the mandate for forming the government to MK Benny Gantz.”
MK Amir Peretz (Labor) said his party would not join the government: "We will not be Netanyahu's lifeline. We will not enter or sit in his government. Any other possibility is a violation of everything we promised the public. What we promised, we will fulfill," Peretz wrote on Twitter.
MK Itzik Shmuli added, "We promised in the elections that we would not sit with Netanyahu. Promises must be fulfilled. I have no intention of serving in the government under Binyamin Netanyahu with an indictment and provide a protective wall for corruption. I also call on my colleagues to immediately reject the proposal."