Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Likud ministers and MKs in an “emergency conversation” on Saturday that he knew for a fact that Blue and White intends to form a minority government backed by the Joint List. Blue and White leader, Benny Gantz, is currently meeting with President Reuven Rivlin to discuss his coalition-building efforts ahead of his Wednesday night deadline to form a government before his mandate ends. “We are standing before an emergency situation that we have never had before in the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in the conference call. “Going to a [third] election would be a disaster, but forming a government that is dependent on the Arab parties would be a worse disaster. This would be a historic danger for Israeli security.” Netanyahu accused the Arab MKs “supporters of Islamic Jihad and Hamas.” He said he was sure that Yisrael Beytenu would be part of such a government. Gantz responded in a Facebook post that Netanyahu losing power was not an emergency. “An emergency is hundreds of missiles falling on the State of Israel,” Gantz wrote. “Netanyahu, internalize it that I will do everything to prevent you from dragging Israel to a third election.” Gantz said Likud should come to coalition talks without its right-wing bloc and “without immunity, tricks and shtick,” adding “what worked for you for 10 years will no longer work now.” Sources close to Gantz said forming an “acting government” with Yisrael Beytenu, Labor-Gesher and Yisrael Beytenu, backed from outside by the Joint List could be a temporary step en route to a larger coalition. Netanyahu posted a report about the potential “acting government” on Twitter and wrote that a government reliant on MKs who favor putting IDF soldiers on trial is a “slap in the face of the IDF.” There will be coalition talks on Sunday, in which Blue and White will negotiate with Yisrael Beytenu and Labor-Gesher. The Likud has not received an official invitation for coalition negotiations in 10 days. The head of the Likud’s negotiating team, Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, said he even checked his phone to see if he missed a call or an initation to negotiate. Netanyahu will convene the Likud faction and the right-wing political bloc on Sunday.Source
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