Benny Gantz
Benny GantzEitan Elhadaz/TPS

Blue and White Chairman MK Benny Gantz on Wednesday said his party will not join with any other parties.

"I met this morning with [Labor Chairman MK Amir] Peretz and [Meretz Chairman MK Nitzan] Horowitz, and I told both of them that Blue and White will continue to provide an alternative leadership in the center of the map, and that it will not join with other parties from the right or left," he said at a party meeting.

"Blue and White is determined to lead a government of change, hope, reach a clear decision in the coming elections, and be the largest party in the Knesset. In order for that to happen, we need to work hard, and to our left there needs to be a unification of all the left-wing Zionist parties."

On Wednesday, Blue and White's MK Zvi Hauser claimed his party was "centrist" and rejected the notion of it joining together with the other parties on the left.

Regarding the tensions between the US and Iran, Gantz said: "The IDF is the strongest army in the area, and I do not suggest anyone put Israel to the test. If G-d forbid they try to drag us into such an event, I am sure that the answer will be very clear."

Gantz also discussed the formation of a committee which would discuss Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's request for parliamentary immunity, giving Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) yet another ultimatum.

"I very much appreciate Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, and his stately way of acting throughout the years. I know that he understands what the correct thing to do with regards to the immunity request of Likud's chairman is. The Knesset is not a safe city for criminals and the Knesset Speaker represents all of the parties, not a specific party.

"Netanyahu is the one who requested that his personal immunity be discussed. I cannot imagine to myself that he did this in order that we not discuss it. Netanyahu requested immunity - and we will use all the available parliamentary means and tools that we have in order to discuss his request. I will not allow anyone to harm the State of Israel's democratic process and prevent this discussion. The decision on this issue will need to be made by tomorrow. We will not allow anyone to drag things out."

Earlier on Wednesday, Blue and White MKs warned Edelstein that they "expect a decision by the end of the week from Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein which will fit with the majority opinion."