As negotiations continue between Likud and Blue&White over forming an emergency national government, each side continues to try to maneuver the other side into breaking their taboos and election vows.
The Likud won the first round, when Blue&White simply accepted the idea that they could and would sit in a Netanyahu led government in some form or another.
Blue&White tried to turn it around and talk about a rotation government, which would eventually depose Netanyahu, but Likud seems to have made it clear they are only talking about an emergency government and not a rotation government. Two points Likud.
Blue&White now faces a dilemma.
If they abandon their new-found anti-Zionist, terror-supporting friends in the Joint Arab List, they won’t be able to go back to them when the emergency government dissolves or negotiations fail. Blue&White will need them again to form a minority led government.
In addition, Blue&White need to make it look like Netanyahu is the one that is blocking the formation of an emergency coalition government, in case there is a fourth round of elections.
Blue&White’s solution was to demand that the Joint Arab List also be included in the emergency coalition. A condition, if accepted, that would prevent Netanyahu from criticizing Blue&White in the future for partnering with the Arab List. Most likely this twist originated with Yair Lapid and Ofer Shelach of the far-left Yesh Atid faction within Blue&White.
Is this finally a point for Blue&White?
No, because Likud MK (and Netanyahu rival) Gidon Sa’ar declared that the Likud cannot accept the Joint Arab List into the coalition, specifically because of the security challenges Israel faces from Iran and Gaza.
On the other hand, Sa’ar added that he would consider appointing a member from the Arab community as a government minister – as long as that person’s positions are different than those of the Joint Arab List. Three points Likud.
Members of the Joint Arab List are devout anti-Zionists, and some of them have openly and even recently praised Arab terrorists who have attacked and murdered Jews.
Update: Former Labor party minister Haim Ramon suggested a compromise solution to Netanyahu where the current political situation would be frozen for three months and some members of Blue&White and its satellite party would join the emergency coalition. A representative from the Joint Arab List would head the Knesset committee on Coronavirus, according to a report by Amit Segal.
Netanyahu is weighing the suggestion.
ח"כ ל-: "הממשלה שתתמודד עם המשבר הזה צריכה להתמודד עם עוד אתגרים – איראן ועזה. הרשימה המשותפת לא יכולה להיות בממשלה מהסיבות האלה. הייתי שוקל למנות שר בקרב בני המיעוט הערבי שעמדותיו שונות מהמשותפת"
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news)