Sources in several political parties, including Likud and Blue & White, confirm that initial contacts are taking place for the formation of a national emergency government because of the coronavirus crisis. The sources said that the contacts were taking place on several levels, with both direct talks between representatives of the two largest parties and exchanges of initial formulas between political intermediaries and advisors.
One source said that one of the intermediaries was drafting a letter to be sent by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Blue & White leader MK Benny Gantz inviting him to join an emergency government. There is no confirmation of agreement to such a move by either side however, although they did not rule it out.
Leading politicians from outside the two large parties are involved in these moves, among them from the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties and the Labor Party. Many Labor Party leaders believe that it is obligatory to push Blue and White towards an emergency government with Likud, instead of a minority government having no chance to begin with.
One of political source explained that the actions of Blue & White members MK Zvi Hauser and MK Yoaz Hendel were related to this step, and that they raised a demand for a national emergency government as the main reason for their opposition to a minority government, which, even if formed, would be unable to take drastic measures.
The remarks by MK Orly Levy-Abekasis are also related to the new contacts. Sources among her associates said that in addition to a questionable alliance with the Joint Arab List, she understood the need for and urgency of an emergency national unity government, being familiar with health and welfare issues.
The Likud is making it clear that Netanyahu and his transitional government are functioning well, but one of the party's leading members said that such a government will find it very difficult to take important steps, especially for the economy, and added that this would require as broad-based a government as possible, even if for a limited time.
One of the proposals consists of this very solution - a national emergency government for a time set in advance, probably one year, during which talks would continue for turning it into a regular government.
Several of the main people involved in the current contacts were the main advocates of a unity government in September, when unity government talks failed, including members of Likud, Blue & White, and the haredi parties.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 12, 2020
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