Netanyahu in talks with Lapid, Gantz for unity government

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
Netanyahu in talks with Lapid, Gantz for unity government
While the Likud negotiates with right-wing parties, Netanyahu is reportedly maintaining alternate track with center-left parties.
Israel National News
Nov 16, 2022

While the Likud continues its efforts to secure coalition deals with its right-wing allies in order to establish a narrow rightist government, officials close to Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu are simultaneously negotiating with center-left leaders, eyeing a possible national unity government, Ma’ariv reported Wednesday. According to the report, members of Netanyahu’s entourage are in the midst of quiet yet intensive talks with associates of Defense Minister Benny Gantz (National Unity) and Prime Minister Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid).

more............. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/362899
 

GHoe

Well-Known Member
Interesting read from a The Guardian article. Makes me think Bibi would prefer a more globally palatable government with Lapid than the "hard core" right wing groups that will (imo) no doubt cause more international condemnation and local issues. Kind of feels like God is up to something having these ultra nationalistic parties win so many knesset seats. Israel has really changed directions from Lapid giving up Israel's potentially prosperous gas fields to Lebanon and publicly calling for a two state solution to the current state.

Not hard to see how a right wing / nationalistic Israel could make its neighbors even more angry and lead to even more hatred and abandonment.

The far-right list’s leaders, Bezalel Smotrich and the popular Itamar Ben-Gvir, both known for anti-Arab rhetoric, are expected to receive important ministerial positions as horse-trading got under way on Friday. Ben-Gvir has said he wants to be public security minister, a post that would put him in charge of the police, and Smotrich has publicly said he wants to be defence minister.

The slate’s shopping list includes immunity from prosecution for Israeli soldiers, the expansion of illegal settlement building in the occupied West Bank, and reversals of LGBT-friendly laws.
Netanyahu shares little in common with his new partners other than opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, and a mutual desire to enable parliament to override the high court, which will help get his corruption charges thrown out.

Elevating the Religious Zionists to the security cabinet will not be straightforward: the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, is unlikely to be comfortable with sharing intelligence with several members of the party that they maintain files on.
Israel’s western partners, including the US, have also reportedly relayed messages to the Likud that they would only have limited contact with ministries led by Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, if they co-operated at all
.

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...ns-coalition-talks-to-form-israeli-government
 
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