Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, the alternate prime minister and defense minister, spoke this morning (Wednesday) with Anat Davidov and Golan Yokfaz on Radio 103FM and asked to present his position in light of the results of recent polls. He also referred to the leaks from the "shouting session" and his party’s insistence on reopening the economy faster.
Since the establishment of their unity government, relations between Ganz and Netanyahu have run aground, and as a result the government seems paralyzed. A few days ago, troubling recordings from the cabinet meeting, known as the 'shouting meeting', were made public.
Netanyahu attacked Gantz during the meeting, saying that his insistence on opening the economy would lead to many deaths, and that the blood would be on his hands. Gantz said: "These are very serious accusations. I, who for decades of my life have been involved in defending human life, am not willing to accept an accusation of this kind, certainly not from Netanyahu who has no moral authority to determine what he has determined. The Prime Minister's Office and its agents are releasing the recordings of government meetings. This is a disgrace.”
As for the allegations that he was the one who leaked the recordings, he clarified: "Why should I release it? I barely say good morning to journalists. It's not me who published this story, it's someone from the Prime Minister's Office. I wrote him a letter that I am in favor of publishing the minutes of all government meetings for the public’s knowledge, but I never ‘leak’ information. I have not run away from one day of responsibility in my life and I am not running away now or later.
Netanyahu also claimed that those who run Gantz’s party are actually the strategic advisers who work with Blue and White. The alternate prime minister responded: "Each of us has his own advisers. I set the policy for Blue and White, and I do take advice on the matter. I listen to the Ministry of Health and the experts, but I make the final decision." He added: "I am in favor of a responsible, gradual, and controlled opening of the Israeli economy."
Later, Minister Gantz was not concerned about the results of the polls, according to which his party does not pass the parliamentary threshold, saying: "Blue and White is stable and growing. It is going slowly, perhaps, but it is very well established. I see polls, trends, enrollment, activists, everything that guarantees that we will not be a waste of votes. After this election we will influence what an honest government will look like, and we will make sure that an honest government is formed without Netanyahu. These policies and games and these manipulations have become Israel's political practice in recent years, and it needs to stop.”
Despite the perceived paralysis in the government, yesterday (Tuesday) they managed to reach an agreement at the cabinet meeting regarding the reopening of educational institutions. Gantz clarified that "education should be a national priority." He added: "It is a pity that it is not possible to open more, but the state of the disease does not allow it." He said, "We see the next step on its way already, but we need to do it responsibly, keep track of morbidity trends and open up responsibly. Vaccination? Of course. That's how people should understand life. The public is going to get vaccinated and will continue to get vaccinated. We can not give up on distancing, masks, or hygiene either, but the vaccine works. "
Despite all the steps the government has taken to eradicate the spread of the virus, morbidity figures continue to be high. "I hope that the numbers will continue to fall, that the trend of vaccines will improve, and if that happens I believe it will be possible to take further opening steps, and also give the economy more leeway. There is terrible harm to students and to mental health, so a balanced policy is needed."
He also commented on the possibility of enacting a law that would require teaching staff to be vaccinated, and admitted: "I think teachers should go and get vaccinated on their own behalf, and I do not think we should wait for the matter to be settled. We will work hand in hand with the ombudsman. I am in favor of the law and in favor of listening to and consulting the ombudsman. In principle, anyone who comes into contact with other people and provides a service deserves to be vaccinated. I do not know if this can be enacted, but I want to hear the details. A democratic state does not force a person to be injected.”