19 sept 2019
Blue and White leader says as head of largest party it is up to him to put together next government, says unity is the people's choice and vows to conduct careful and deliberate negotiations to achieve it ; Liberman calls on Netanyahu to end his 'political shticks and tricks'
Israelis have voted for a unity government, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz said Thursday, adding that he intend to be the one to achieve this as head of the party that apparently has the most number of seats in the next Knesset.
Gantz said unity was the people's choice and stressed that he would conduct careful and deliberate negotiations to achieve it.
"After an election campaign forced upon the citizens of Israel, the people went to the polls, voted, and made a clear decision - the people chose unity, the people chose Israel before all," he said.
"We will not concede to anyone. I will conduct the negotiations with responsibility and judgment in order to achieve the best for the citizens of Israel in the political circumstances that have been created," the Blue and White leader said.
"It will require determination and adherence to our principles," he said. "There will be no shortcuts. The government that I establish must be effective and capable of real action and governance."
The former IDF chief turned politician was speaking hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own online video appeal
for Gantz to join him in a unity government.
Gantz made no mention of the prime minister and said he himself would head a "liberal" coalition, political shorthand for one that excludes Netanyahu's long-time ultra-Orthodox allies.
But he then left it to Moshe Ya'alon, a fellow former IDF chief and Blue and White leader, to deliver a stinging rejection of a partnership with Netanyahu, citing looming corruption charges against the prime minister, who has denied any wrongdoing.
"We will not enter a coalition led by Netanyahu," Ya'alon said, echoing a position Gantz had taken throughout the election campaign and appearing to suggest that an alliance with Likud would be possible if it dumped its veteran leader.
Advertisement"The time has come for you to tell Netanyahu, 'thank you for all you've done'," Ya'alon urged Likud members - who have shown no sign so far of rebellion.
In his video earlier, Netanyahu insisted he would be the one to form the next goverment.
"During the elections, I called for the establishment of a right-wing government. But unfortunately, the results of the elections show that this is not possible," Netanyahu said.
"Now I say to you, MK Benny Gantz: Benny, we must establish a broad unity government today. The people expect us, both of us, to show responsibility and work to cooperate."
A senior Blue and White official said that the unity call by Netanyahu was a political exercise.
"Bibi (Netanyahu) has decided to go with a third election and is already trying to push the blame onto us," the official said. "If he steps aside, there will be a unity government within a day."
Israelis have voted for a unity government, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz said Thursday, adding that he intend to be the one to achieve this as head of the party that apparently has the most number of seats in the next Knesset.
Gantz said unity was the people's choice and stressed that he would conduct careful and deliberate negotiations to achieve it.
"After an election campaign forced upon the citizens of Israel, the people went to the polls, voted, and made a clear decision - the people chose unity, the people chose Israel before all," he said.
"We will not concede to anyone. I will conduct the negotiations with responsibility and judgment in order to achieve the best for the citizens of Israel in the political circumstances that have been created," the Blue and White leader said.
"It will require determination and adherence to our principles," he said. "There will be no shortcuts. The government that I establish must be effective and capable of real action and governance."
The former IDF chief turned politician was speaking hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own online video appeal
for Gantz to join him in a unity government.
Gantz made no mention of the prime minister and said he himself would head a "liberal" coalition, political shorthand for one that excludes Netanyahu's long-time ultra-Orthodox allies.
But he then left it to Moshe Ya'alon, a fellow former IDF chief and Blue and White leader, to deliver a stinging rejection of a partnership with Netanyahu, citing looming corruption charges against the prime minister, who has denied any wrongdoing.
"We will not enter a coalition led by Netanyahu," Ya'alon said, echoing a position Gantz had taken throughout the election campaign and appearing to suggest that an alliance with Likud would be possible if it dumped its veteran leader.
Advertisement"The time has come for you to tell Netanyahu, 'thank you for all you've done'," Ya'alon urged Likud members - who have shown no sign so far of rebellion.
In his video earlier, Netanyahu insisted he would be the one to form the next goverment.
"During the elections, I called for the establishment of a right-wing government. But unfortunately, the results of the elections show that this is not possible," Netanyahu said.
"Now I say to you, MK Benny Gantz: Benny, we must establish a broad unity government today. The people expect us, both of us, to show responsibility and work to cooperate."
A senior Blue and White official said that the unity call by Netanyahu was a political exercise.
"Bibi (Netanyahu) has decided to go with a third election and is already trying to push the blame onto us," the official said. "If he steps aside, there will be a unity government within a day."
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman also blasted Netanyahu on Thursday for what he called his "political exercises, shticks and tricks."
"Let's sit down - you, Benny Gantz and myself, and establish a broad, liberal national government for the future of the State of Israel," Liberman said.
"In fact, Netanyahu is operating simultaneously on two channel," he said.
"On one hand, he is trying to numb the system as he calls for unity and on the other hand continues his attempts to persuade MKs from other parties to join him and the bloc he established yesterday in order to reach a majority of 61 (Knesset) seats.
"If he fails to get that majority, he will lay the blame for the failure of a unity government on Gantz and on me, and take the State of Israel into another election campaign."
With 96.5 percent of the vote counted Thursday, Blue and White was on track to win 33 seats in the 120-strong Knesset, while Netanyahu's Likud trailed slightly behind with 31 seats.
"Let's sit down - you, Benny Gantz and myself, and establish a broad, liberal national government for the future of the State of Israel," Liberman said.
"In fact, Netanyahu is operating simultaneously on two channel," he said.
"On one hand, he is trying to numb the system as he calls for unity and on the other hand continues his attempts to persuade MKs from other parties to join him and the bloc he established yesterday in order to reach a majority of 61 (Knesset) seats.
"If he fails to get that majority, he will lay the blame for the failure of a unity government on Gantz and on me, and take the State of Israel into another election campaign."
With 96.5 percent of the vote counted Thursday, Blue and White was on track to win 33 seats in the 120-strong Knesset, while Netanyahu's Likud trailed slightly behind with 31 seats.
Gantz's centrist party has 33 seats and Netanyau's right-wing Likud has 31 as Central Elections Committee tallies ballots from 'double envelopes', including votes cast by diplomats abroad, soldiers and hospital patients
The Blue and White party has won 33 seats to the Likud's 31, according to an update from the Central Elections Committee on Thursday morning, with 96.5% of the vote in Tuesday's elections counted.
The results include a partial count of the so-called "double envelopes" – ballots cast in special polling stations by voters unable to reach a regular polling station, primarily IDF soldiers, diplomats abroad, hospital patients and prison inmates.
The count of these ballots began at 1am Thursday morning, with the latest data released some eight hours later. Some 280,000 of these ballots have been counted so far. The incomplete results show 1,035,635 people voted for Blue and White compared to 1,010,246 votes for Likud.
Unlike a standard vote, where the envelope containing a paper ballot is placed directly into the ballot box, these ballots are inserted into a second sealed envelope on which a voter's information is recorded to ensure that he or she has not voted twice.
Unlike regular ballot envelopes, the double envelopes are not counted at the polling station where voting took place but are transferred to the Central Election Committee's headquarters at the Knesset.
Only after verifying that a voter has not cat two ballots is the ballot slip removed from the second named envelope and the original unmarked envelope is mixed in with other ballots to ensure anonymity of the voters.
In the April elections, a total of 240,783 people voted using double envelopes. This amounted to about 5.5% of the total votes cast – which translates to between 6 and 7 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
The double-envelope count in April, saw the Likud receive another seat and United Torah Judaism lose a seat.
The election count will likely continue through Thursday evening. Only after the double envelopes are counted will they be added to the other votes cast, and the process of calculating the final number of seats per party mandates will begin.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called on Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz to meet with him to form a broad unity government.
Neither the centrist Blue and White or the right-wing Likud appears to be able to muster the 61 Mks needed to form an outright majority.
Netanyahu said Wednesday that he had a bloc of 55 MKs from the right, far-right and religious Jewish parties - six short of what is needed.
The Blue and White party has won 33 seats to the Likud's 31, according to an update from the Central Elections Committee on Thursday morning, with 96.5% of the vote in Tuesday's elections counted.
The results include a partial count of the so-called "double envelopes" – ballots cast in special polling stations by voters unable to reach a regular polling station, primarily IDF soldiers, diplomats abroad, hospital patients and prison inmates.
The count of these ballots began at 1am Thursday morning, with the latest data released some eight hours later. Some 280,000 of these ballots have been counted so far. The incomplete results show 1,035,635 people voted for Blue and White compared to 1,010,246 votes for Likud.
Unlike a standard vote, where the envelope containing a paper ballot is placed directly into the ballot box, these ballots are inserted into a second sealed envelope on which a voter's information is recorded to ensure that he or she has not voted twice.
Unlike regular ballot envelopes, the double envelopes are not counted at the polling station where voting took place but are transferred to the Central Election Committee's headquarters at the Knesset.
Only after verifying that a voter has not cat two ballots is the ballot slip removed from the second named envelope and the original unmarked envelope is mixed in with other ballots to ensure anonymity of the voters.
In the April elections, a total of 240,783 people voted using double envelopes. This amounted to about 5.5% of the total votes cast – which translates to between 6 and 7 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
The double-envelope count in April, saw the Likud receive another seat and United Torah Judaism lose a seat.
The election count will likely continue through Thursday evening. Only after the double envelopes are counted will they be added to the other votes cast, and the process of calculating the final number of seats per party mandates will begin.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called on Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz to meet with him to form a broad unity government.
Neither the centrist Blue and White or the right-wing Likud appears to be able to muster the 61 Mks needed to form an outright majority.
Netanyahu said Wednesday that he had a bloc of 55 MKs from the right, far-right and religious Jewish parties - six short of what is needed.
18 sept 2019
The morning after Israel’s second election of the year failed to offer clarity about who exactly will form the next government, or whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will remain in office.
Israeli media, citing sources within the elections committee, have reported that Likud and main opposition alliance Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) have both secured 32 seats in the next Knesset. While the numbers may slightly change, the election has served up another deadlock.
The focus will now turn to who is able to form a coalition government – Netanyahu or Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. The latter, however, has already expressed his openness to a unity government including his party, and Likud.
Thus, while Netanyahu has avoided both outright victory or defeat, the current talk of a unity government could, ultimately, spell the end of his time as prime minister – and Likud leader.
A Haaretz report this morning noted that “after what looks like an almost certain failure to secure a majority coalition”, Netanyahu “didn’t need anyone to tell him about the murmurings within Likud that his own party should start thinking about a change in leadership.”
Netanyahu’s speech at a Likud rally late yesterday “was a carefully measured attempt to reassert his leadership, while acknowledging, without saying it in so many words, that matters have changed.”
As well as worrying about the likes of potential future Likud leader Gideon Sa’ar, Netanyahu “sees people plotting all around him, and just for once, his legendary paranoia may be warranted.”
In the run-up to the election, Gantz was insistent that Blue and White would not sit in a unity government with Netanyahu. Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu party appears to have secured nine seats, has also backed a unity government.
With everything up in the air, and the final count still to come in, various permutations are still possible, including Netanyahu securing a majority and continuing as prime minister.
But in the context of coalition talks, and the possible emergence of a unity government, Likud figures may already be considering how to dump their long-term leader in order to keep the party in power.
Israeli media, citing sources within the elections committee, have reported that Likud and main opposition alliance Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) have both secured 32 seats in the next Knesset. While the numbers may slightly change, the election has served up another deadlock.
The focus will now turn to who is able to form a coalition government – Netanyahu or Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. The latter, however, has already expressed his openness to a unity government including his party, and Likud.
Thus, while Netanyahu has avoided both outright victory or defeat, the current talk of a unity government could, ultimately, spell the end of his time as prime minister – and Likud leader.
A Haaretz report this morning noted that “after what looks like an almost certain failure to secure a majority coalition”, Netanyahu “didn’t need anyone to tell him about the murmurings within Likud that his own party should start thinking about a change in leadership.”
Netanyahu’s speech at a Likud rally late yesterday “was a carefully measured attempt to reassert his leadership, while acknowledging, without saying it in so many words, that matters have changed.”
As well as worrying about the likes of potential future Likud leader Gideon Sa’ar, Netanyahu “sees people plotting all around him, and just for once, his legendary paranoia may be warranted.”
In the run-up to the election, Gantz was insistent that Blue and White would not sit in a unity government with Netanyahu. Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu party appears to have secured nine seats, has also backed a unity government.
With everything up in the air, and the final count still to come in, various permutations are still possible, including Netanyahu securing a majority and continuing as prime minister.
But in the context of coalition talks, and the possible emergence of a unity government, Likud figures may already be considering how to dump their long-term leader in order to keep the party in power.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his planned visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York amid a political deadlock following Tuesday’s general elections.
The decision was announced on Wednesday after both Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party and the centrist Blue and White alliance of former military chief Benny Gantz failed to garner enough seats to secure a parliamentary majority needed to form an administration.
With over 92 percent of the votes counted, Likud Party and Blue and White Party have respectively secured 31 and 32 parliamentary seats.
Both parties say they have already started negotiations to form a coalition while they’re waiting for the official results.
For a governing coalition of 61 legislators, each party would have to form a coalition with other parties, including the far-right party of former minister of military affairs Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beiteinu, which, according to early results, has nine seats in the assembly.
Tuesday’s election was Israel’s second vote in five months. Netanyahu called the snap vote after he failed to win a majority in April’s elections.
Netanyahu, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was expected to address the General Assembly on September 26 as the 12th speaker, just three slots after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to the Israeli media, Foreign Minister Israel Katz will attend the event in his place.
Over the past decade, Netanyahu has made nine speeches at the annual UN gathering, most of them focused on Iran, including in 2012, when he showed a cartoon of a bomb in an attempt to portray the Islamic Republic as a threat.
The decision was announced on Wednesday after both Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party and the centrist Blue and White alliance of former military chief Benny Gantz failed to garner enough seats to secure a parliamentary majority needed to form an administration.
With over 92 percent of the votes counted, Likud Party and Blue and White Party have respectively secured 31 and 32 parliamentary seats.
Both parties say they have already started negotiations to form a coalition while they’re waiting for the official results.
For a governing coalition of 61 legislators, each party would have to form a coalition with other parties, including the far-right party of former minister of military affairs Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beiteinu, which, according to early results, has nine seats in the assembly.
Tuesday’s election was Israel’s second vote in five months. Netanyahu called the snap vote after he failed to win a majority in April’s elections.
Netanyahu, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was expected to address the General Assembly on September 26 as the 12th speaker, just three slots after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to the Israeli media, Foreign Minister Israel Katz will attend the event in his place.
Over the past decade, Netanyahu has made nine speeches at the annual UN gathering, most of them focused on Iran, including in 2012, when he showed a cartoon of a bomb in an attempt to portray the Islamic Republic as a threat.
Attention will now focus on President, Reuven Rivlin, who will choose the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a stable coalition, but if that doesn’t work, new elections would be triggered yet again
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fell short of securing a parliamentary majority with his natural religious and nationalist allies in national elections Tuesday, partial results indicated, setting the stage for a period of coalition negotiations that could threaten his political future and even clear the way for him to be tried on corruption charges.
Initial partial results showed challenger Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party tied with Netanyahu’s Likud.
While the results do not guarantee that Gantz will be the next prime minister, they signaled that Netanyahu, who has led the country for over 10 years, could have trouble holding on to the job.
Addressing his supporters early Wednesday, Netanyahu refused to concede defeat and vowed to work to form a new government that excludes Arab parties.
His campaign focused heavily on attacking and questioning the loyalty of the country’s Arab minority — a strategy that drew accusations of racism and incitement from Arab leaders.
“In the coming days we will convene negotiations to assemble a strong Zionist government and to prevent a dangerous anti-Zionist government,” he said. He claimed that Arab parties “negate the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state” and “glorify bloodthirsty murderers.”
Final results are expected Wednesday and could still swing in Netanyahu’s favor.
According to the partial results, the parties of Gantz and Netanyahu received 32 seats each in the 120-member parliament. Likud with its natural allies of religious and ultra-nationalist parties mustered 56 seats — or five short of the needed majority.
This means both Likud and Blue and White will have difficulty setting up a governing coalition without the support of Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party.
That put Liberman, a former protege of Netanyahu’s who has become one of the prime minister’s fiercest rivals, in the position of kingmaker.
Arab parties, which have never before sat in an Israeli government, also finished strong, and exit polls predicted they would form the third-largest party in parliament.
Addressing his supporters late Tuesday, a jubilant Liberman said he saw only “one option”: a broad, secular coalition with both Blue and White and Likud.
“We’ve always said that a unity government is only possible in emergency situations" Liberman said and added "I tell every citizen today watching us on television: the situation, both security-wise and economically, are emergency situations,”concluding. “The country, therefore, requires a broad government.”
Early Wednesday, Gantz told a cheering rally of supporters that while it was too soon to declare victory, he had begun speaking to potential partners and hoped to form a unity government.
“Starting tonight we will work to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people,” he said.
Attention will now focus on President, Reuven Rivlin, who is to choose the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a stable coalition. Rivlin is to consult with all parties in the coming days before making his decision.
After that, the prime minister designate would have up to six weeks to form a coalition. If that fails, Rivlin could give another candidate for prime minister 28 days to form a coalition.
And if that doesn’t work, new elections would be triggered yet again. Rivlin has said he will do everything possible to avoid such a scenario.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fell short of securing a parliamentary majority with his natural religious and nationalist allies in national elections Tuesday, partial results indicated, setting the stage for a period of coalition negotiations that could threaten his political future and even clear the way for him to be tried on corruption charges.
Initial partial results showed challenger Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party tied with Netanyahu’s Likud.
While the results do not guarantee that Gantz will be the next prime minister, they signaled that Netanyahu, who has led the country for over 10 years, could have trouble holding on to the job.
Addressing his supporters early Wednesday, Netanyahu refused to concede defeat and vowed to work to form a new government that excludes Arab parties.
His campaign focused heavily on attacking and questioning the loyalty of the country’s Arab minority — a strategy that drew accusations of racism and incitement from Arab leaders.
“In the coming days we will convene negotiations to assemble a strong Zionist government and to prevent a dangerous anti-Zionist government,” he said. He claimed that Arab parties “negate the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state” and “glorify bloodthirsty murderers.”
Final results are expected Wednesday and could still swing in Netanyahu’s favor.
According to the partial results, the parties of Gantz and Netanyahu received 32 seats each in the 120-member parliament. Likud with its natural allies of religious and ultra-nationalist parties mustered 56 seats — or five short of the needed majority.
This means both Likud and Blue and White will have difficulty setting up a governing coalition without the support of Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party.
That put Liberman, a former protege of Netanyahu’s who has become one of the prime minister’s fiercest rivals, in the position of kingmaker.
Arab parties, which have never before sat in an Israeli government, also finished strong, and exit polls predicted they would form the third-largest party in parliament.
Addressing his supporters late Tuesday, a jubilant Liberman said he saw only “one option”: a broad, secular coalition with both Blue and White and Likud.
“We’ve always said that a unity government is only possible in emergency situations" Liberman said and added "I tell every citizen today watching us on television: the situation, both security-wise and economically, are emergency situations,”concluding. “The country, therefore, requires a broad government.”
Early Wednesday, Gantz told a cheering rally of supporters that while it was too soon to declare victory, he had begun speaking to potential partners and hoped to form a unity government.
“Starting tonight we will work to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people,” he said.
Attention will now focus on President, Reuven Rivlin, who is to choose the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a stable coalition. Rivlin is to consult with all parties in the coming days before making his decision.
After that, the prime minister designate would have up to six weeks to form a coalition. If that fails, Rivlin could give another candidate for prime minister 28 days to form a coalition.
And if that doesn’t work, new elections would be triggered yet again. Rivlin has said he will do everything possible to avoid such a scenario.
Unofficial results of the 22nd Knesset elections showed that the Likud party of incumbent prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the centrist White and Blue party, of opposer Benny Gantz, won 32 seats each, while the joint list received 13.
At this time, 92% of the votes have been counted.
Netanyahu, who is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister since July, is seeking a record fifth term in office. However, the first round of exit polls show that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition bloc could not secure the 61-seat majority they needed.
The results indicate a draw between the right-wing camp with 56 seats and the center-left camp with 55 seats, without the Yisrael Beiteinu party which won 9 seats, PNN reports.
These results make it difficult for Netanyahu and his opponent Gantz to form a government separately. Avigdor Lieberman is calling for a unity government in order to avoid the possibility of a third election.
Gantz said, to his supporters, on Wednesday morning, that “it is necessary to wait for the official results”, according to Al Jazeera. “Netanyahu has not been successful in what he set out to do. We have proved that the idea is Blue and White; that we established a little over a year ago was successful and is here to stay.”
The results came after counting 4055,141 votes, while the Israeli Election Commission postponed the announcement of the official preliminary results, which was scheduled on Wednesday noon, due to the change in the way the data is checked and entered into the website of the Commission.
At this time, 92% of the votes have been counted.
Netanyahu, who is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister since July, is seeking a record fifth term in office. However, the first round of exit polls show that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition bloc could not secure the 61-seat majority they needed.
The results indicate a draw between the right-wing camp with 56 seats and the center-left camp with 55 seats, without the Yisrael Beiteinu party which won 9 seats, PNN reports.
These results make it difficult for Netanyahu and his opponent Gantz to form a government separately. Avigdor Lieberman is calling for a unity government in order to avoid the possibility of a third election.
Gantz said, to his supporters, on Wednesday morning, that “it is necessary to wait for the official results”, according to Al Jazeera. “Netanyahu has not been successful in what he set out to do. We have proved that the idea is Blue and White; that we established a little over a year ago was successful and is here to stay.”
The results came after counting 4055,141 votes, while the Israeli Election Commission postponed the announcement of the official preliminary results, which was scheduled on Wednesday noon, due to the change in the way the data is checked and entered into the website of the Commission.
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