Blue and White MKs light Hanukkah candles as protesters demand elections

Members of the Blue and White Party met on Thursday evening and lit the Eighth candle of Hanukkah together, while preparing for the looming elections if Likud and Blue and White don’t manage to reach agreements in the next few days. The event took place at the private residence of Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay in Tzoran-Kadima. After lighting the Hanukkah candles, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz reportedly told his colleagues from Blue and White that elections seem inevitable, as Likud and Blue and White haven’t reached agreements yet. “Of course we want to avoid another round of elections, but it seems to be going in that direction,” Gantz said during the event. “Take some time off, rest, and then we’re going back in,” he added, according to Walla. Other reports, however, have indicated progress in negotiations between Likud and Blue and White surrounding several key issues like the state budget and the rotation between Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu as prime ministers.     Earlier on Thursday, dozens of protesters gathered outside Gantz’ private residence in Rosh Ha’ayin, demanding that he do more in order to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Dozens of protesters gather outside of Defense Minister Benny Gantz’ private residence in Rosh HaAyin, Thursday, December 17, 2020. (Credit: Ben Cohen)
Avi Kadish, an activist from Hasphira Leachor, one of the leading organizations in arranging the recent protests against Netanyahu, said that “we just heard that Gantz might cave in. One time is foolishness. The second time is becoming complicit in an offense.”She added that “Netanyahu is a suspected criminal. He can’t be prime minister, and he’s term shouldn’t be extended. Gantz, don’t cave in, go to elections now!”

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