Netanyahu, Rivlin, and Gantz meet in the President's Residence
Netanyahu, Rivlin, and Gantz meet in the President's ResidenceHaim Zach/GPO

The Blue and White party is attempting to break apart the bloc of right-wing and religious parties formed after last week’s Knesset election, a report Tuesday claims, by foment tensions between the rightist factions and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

A day after the election, Netanyahu established a united bloc of rightist and haredi parties – including the Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Yamina – which would cooperate during coalition talks, after it became apparent that Netanyahu would be unable to form a narrow right-wing coalition without the support of either Yisrael Beytenu or the center-left Blue and White party.

With President Reuven Rivlin pressuring Blue and White chief Benny Gantz and Prime Minister Netanyahu to form a unity government together, however, the Blue and White party has been working to foment tensions between the Likud and other parties in the rightist-religious bloc, hoping to break up the united front, Channel 12 reported Tuesday morning.

According to the report, senior Blue and White officials told right-wing lawmakers that Netanyahu didn’t mention the united bloc during his talks with Gantz Monday evening at the President’s Residence, suggesting the prime minister planned to betray the right-wing alliance.

“Netanyahu didn’t mention you during the meeting, he is going to betray you,” the officials are said to have told right-wing party leaders.

Following Netanyahu’s meeting with Gantz Monday evening, the prime minister spoke with leaders of Shas, UTJ, and Yamina to update them, and to reassure them that he is committed to maintaining the united front.

נתניהו וגנץ נפגשים בבית הנשיאעומר מירון ובן פרץ, לע"מ