Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening reiterated his call to Blue and White chairman MK Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman and Labor chairman MK Amir Peretz to join an emergency government.
Liberman called for a government consisting solely of the Likud and Blue and White parties. Consultations between President Reuven Rivlin and various Knesset factions are expected to commence on Sunday, and on Tuesday, the President is expected to announce whether Netanyahu or Gantz will be allotted the first opportunity to form a coalition.
Haaeretz reported that Blue and White party officials said they "[were] prepared to join an emergency government provided it is made up equally of MKs from the right-wing and center-left bloc, or consists solely of the Likud and Blue and White parties."
Netanyahu repeated his call to leaders of Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu and Labor-Meretz to join an emergency government following the spread of the coronavirus: "I appeal to my colleagues, Benny Gantz, Liberman, and Amir Peretz, and urge them to [unite]," Netanyahu said at a press conference in which he announced restrictions on economic activity. He added that such a government would "share responsibilities and authority." According to Netanyahu, "Someone getting transported in a stretcher can't ask whoever is carrying it to not have a say which direction they're going."
Avigdor Liberman joined the push for the establishment of a Likud, Blue and White government, announcing he would support it from outside. "At this time, Yisrael Beytenu will stand alongside the government when it comes to combating the coronavirus," he said. "In light of the situation, and in order to facilitate decision-making processes, we call for the establishment of an emergency government composed only of the Likud and Blue and White, which will deal exclusively with the coronavirus crisis. Our support for the government will be guaranteed without [us] being part of it."
In recent days, calls have been made for the establishment of an emergency government against the backdrop of the spread of the coronavirus and continued political stagnation. Prime Minister Netanyahu urged Gantz to meet him at the earliest convenience, "to put politics aside" and join the government for a limited period. The call was supported by President Reuven Rivlin.
Gantz, for his part, announced he was ready to discuss the establishment of a broad government "to include representation of all parts of the Knesset," "that is, taking into account the requirements of the Joint List," although he made it clear that "[Joint Arab List chairman MK] Ayman Odeh would not occupy a ministerial post." On Friday, Gantz said he had not yet received a "serious answer" from the Prime Minister.