Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is allegedly weighing the possibility of dropping his request for immunity, if Blue and White faction leader Benny Gantz agrees to support a bill in the Knesset next week to apply sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, according to a report by Israel’s Kann public broadcasting network.
The bill to be introduced in the Knesset next week by the Likud is in some respects also intended to “test” the Blue and White faction’s commitment to a pledge made earlier in the day by Gantz, who said he would promote the annexation after the March 2nd election, “in coordination with the international community.” Netanyahu immediately responded by calling on Gantz to support the move ahead of the polls.
Kan quoted Likud sources who said Netanyahu has been weighing the possibility of making a public offer to swap his immunity request in exchange for Blue and White’s support for the Jordan Valley sovereignty bill on Tuesday night when the party launches its election campaign at the International Convention Center, Binyanei Ha’Uma, in Jerusalem.
“Benny, I expect your answer by this evening, unless [Arab Joint List MK] Ahmed Tibi vetoes you,” Netanyahu kibitzed, referencing threats by the Israeli Arab lawmaker to yank his support for the Blue and White faction in the Knesset.
“First let us discuss [your] immunity, [and] later we’ll manage claiming sovereignty [over the Jordan Valley,]” Gantz replied via Twitter.
The leaders of the Arab Joint List faction and the far left Meretz party both slammed Gantz; the former saying his response was a “pathetic attempt to gather a few right-wing votes” and the latter jeering, “Gantz is also an annexer… voters of the center left have nothing to find with Blue and White.”
