The Blue and White party is contemplating suggesting to Gesher chairwoman Orly Levy-Abekasis that she split from the Labor party and join its ranks, Kan 11 News reported on Friday.
According to the report, Blue and White is offering Levy-Abekasis a spot among the top 10 on its Knesset slate for the March 2 election if she ends her alliance with Labor. In exchange, the report said, Blue and White is demanding that Labor run on a joint ticket with Meretz, in order to prevent a situation in which one of the two parties does not pass the electoral threshold.
The Blue and White party rejected the report, saying, “This never happened.”
In recent weeks there have been calls for Labor and Meretz to unite, but Labor chairman Amir Peretz has ruled out such a possibility. Levy-Abekasis has also expressed opposition to the idea, noting the large ideological differences between her and Meretz on issues related to diplomacy and security.
Meanwhile, an official in the Labor-Gesher party quoted by Kan 11 News said on Friday that his party is coordinated with Blue and White in three areas. First, the official said, it was decided that Gantz's party would not try to recruit Labor members to its slate.
In addition, the two sides decided that there would be coordination between their headquarters and that there would be no mutual attacks. It has also been agreed that Labor-Gesher will not attack Meretz in order to maintain unity in the center-left camp.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)