Blue and white Party officials quoted in the Yisrael Hayom newspaper say that some of the most significant sentences in the speech by party chairman Benny Gantz when he accepted the mandate to form a government were actually addressed to his Blue and White leadership partner, Yair Lapid. One senior official said: "Benny is fed up with Yair's ego. He wants to form a government and become prime minister. He understands that Lapid is pulling Blue and White down when it comes to establishing a unity government. Lapid is allergic to Netanyahu and Blue and White wants to negotiate with Likud, and right now Netanyahu is the leader, so it's important to get along with him."
Blue and White denied it, saying, "Another lie that never was. Gantz and Lapid are united and coordinated and reached this moment together, contrary to all the predictions and eulogies."