Likud, Blue and White spar over election date

Likud and Blue and White took a break on Sunday from their ongoing fight over who is at fault for a potential third election within a year to bicker over when the election should take place. The Likud wants the election as late as possible, and Blue and White as soon as possible. If no government is formed by Wednesday night at midnight, an election would be automatically set for March 10, which is Purim, unless a law is passed in advance to set a different date. The two parties agreed on Saturday night to hold the race on Tuesday, March 3. But then it was discovered that March 3 is the annual memorial day for soldiers whose burial place remains unknown. The Yad Labanim organization protested the date to the Central Elections Committee, as did Likud ministers Ophir Akunis and Miri Regev. The Likud then sought to hold the race on March 24 and Blue and White on February 25. In a meeting of Likud and Blue and White representatives, Likud minister Yariv Levin and Blue and White faction chairman Avi Nissenkorn agreed to break with tradition and hold the election on a Monday instead of a Tuesday. The Likud called for March 16, and Blue and White for March 2. The last time an election here was not held on a Tuesday was 1996, when it was held on a Wednesday. The last time the public went to the polls on a Monday was in 1984. “We will not allow the country to be dragged into a long election campaign at the expense of the public,” Blue and White said. “In the event Netanyahu drags the State of Israel into another costly and unnecessary election, we will act to ensure that it is held at the earliest possible date.” Levin said it bothered him that instead of forming a government, he was meeting with Blue and White to set a date for what he termed “a completely unnecessary election.” He said what really mattered was to make another last-ditch effort to prevent the race. The Central Elections Committee will have a new chairman, with Supreme Court judge Neal Hendel replacing Supreme Court judge Hanan Melcer, the Supreme Court announced on Sunday. Hendel was born in the US and attended the Yeshivah of Flatbush and New York University.
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