Author: AFSI Staff

Against what appeared all odds, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz signed an agreement for a unity government. The breakthrough came late Monday shortly before the start of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The agreement brings to a close a political crisis that has lasted a year-and-a-half and has led to an unprecedented three consecutive elections in Israel.

Likud will receive the ministries of treasury, interior, transportation, housing, education, environmental protection, energy, Jerusalem affairs, and other smaller portfolios.

Ynet reports that Blue and White will receive the ministries for defense, justice, aliyah and integration, culture and sports, finance, economy, communications, agriculture, strategic affairs, tourism, social equality and diaspora affairs.

The foreign ministry will be split between Blue and White and Likud with each party running it for half the government’s term.

***Netanyahu appears to have won a victory on the matter of the Judicial Selections Committee, one of the key sticking points. The Likud will have a majority on that committee, which picks judges to the Supreme Court, Israel’s Channel 11 reports. Netanyahu will also have a veto over senior appointments.

Source:
Deal reached: Gantz and Netanyahu sign unity agreement by David Isaac. World Israel News – April 20, 2020

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Thursday informed Blue and White head Benny Gantz that his mandate to form a government would now pass to the Knesset. This comes as Gantz failed to present a government by the midnight Wednesday deadline. If after 21 days the Knesset cannot produce a candidate to form a government, it will automatically dissolve, triggering new elections.

The latest reports state that Rivlin has set August 4 as the date for an unthinkable round of fourth elections. As of Thursday night, negotiations between the two sides was deadlocked.

Rivlin’s office released a political timetable citing May 7 as the date by which an MK must be tasked by the Knesset with forming a government. May 8 is the date for informing the Knesset speaker as such, and August 4 as the date for the next election, allowing for a three month campaign.

We continue to await the results of negotiations between Netanyahu and Gantz and hope that it doesn’t come down to the need for a 4th election.

Source:
After Gantz fails to meet deadline, Rivlin tasks Knesset with forming government ~JNS Brief. Jewish News Syndicate – April 16, 2020

Rivlin sets August 4 as date for fourth elections if unity govt not formed ~Jeremy Sharon. Jerusalem Post. April 17, 2020

Significant progress was made towards the establishment of a national emergency government. The talks were held at a meeting Monday night between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz.

The two parties said in a joint statement following the meeting that they agreed to meet again in the morning in the presence of their negotiating teams.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave a new deadline for Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz to form a government, until after the end of the Passover holiday.

Source:
Gantz and Netanyahu meet, make ‘significant progress’ by Elad Benari. Arutz Sheva – April 14, 2020

Tonight is the deadline for Blue and White leader Benny Gantz to return the mandate if he cannot form a government. Senior political officials spoke to Israel Hayom and warned that there was a “real danger” that the country would have to hold a fourth general election.

“There is a clear and present danger of having to hold a fourth election. If there is no agreement between Gantz and [Prime Minister] Netanyahu in the next few hours, the process of passing laws that take aim at Netanyahu personally will begin, and will inevitably deteriorate into a fourth election.”

“The Right needs to wake up and realize that Sovereignty is in danger, too, because the Trump administration will not allow it without a unity government in Israel. We are sounding the alarm. It’s not clear why right-wing leaders and senior Likud officials are staying quiet,” one official said.

The application of Sovereignty over the Land of Israel cannot be promoted if the Right does not have influence in the legal sphere.

Sources:
‘There is clear and present danger of a 4th election’ by Ariel Kahana, Yehuda Shlezinger, Danielle Roth-Avneri. Israel Hayom – April 13, 2020

Israel’s President Says He Won’t Extend Gantz’s Mandate to Form Government, Will Send Task to Knesset If No Coalition by Tomorrow by Benjamin Kerstein. The Algemeiner – April 12, 2020

Sovereignty on the rocks unless right-wing coalition formed now by Tovah Lazaroff. Jerusalem Post – April 13, 2020

Knesset members Yoaz Hendel and Tzvi Hauser conveyed a message to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. They stated that if he enters a unity government, they will support his views in any dispute with Blue and White over legal issues.

In a meeting with Judea and Samaria Council leaders, Hendel pledged that, should there be no consensus on issues related to the Justice Department, he and MK Tzvi Hauser would support Prime Minister Netanyahu’s position to find the way to form a government and prevent a fourth election.

Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan, Binyamin Council head Yisrael Gantz, and Yesha Council head and Jordan Valley Council head David Alahiani met with MK Hendel on Monday. They issued the following statement:

“…We are strengthening the Prime Minister’s demand for sovereignty to be applied throughout the [Jewish] areas in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.”

Source:
Hendel and Hauser to PM: ‘Sign unity – get our support’ by Mordechai Sones. Arutz Sheva – April 13, 2020

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called Yesha Council Chairman David Elhayani on Monday. Elhayani was updated on the understandings made with the Blue and White party on the formation of an emergency unity government.

Elhayani said following the call: “I thank the prime minister who called and made it clear that he would not allow the opportunity for Sovereignty to pass and I trust that he is determined to advance the issue in the coming months.”

Before his conversation with the prime minister, Elhayani condemned the reported wording of the agreement between the Likud and Blue and White.

“We oppose the proposed wording that calls for dialogue with the international community to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley. This is a Blue and White trap.”

Sources:
‘Netanyahu pledged to promote sovereignty in coming months’ by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – April 6, 2020

Yesha Council Chairman: ‘Death sentence to dream of sovereignty’ by Mordechai Sones. Arutz Sheva – April 6, 2020

“For years, the Sovereignty Movement has been calling for the application of Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. This hope, which realizes the Zionist vision and the dream, rose from the People to the decision makers and from there to the government’s desk, but we cannot accept a plan that attempts to sweeten the poison pill of establishing a Palestinian state with partial Sovereignty over the Jewish communities and the Jordan Valley.”

“We cannot allow the Zionist ideology and the vision to depend on the expected rejection by any Arab leadership of the moment. Our principled and tenacious declaration must be heard: the entire Land of Israel belongs to the People of Israel and only to the People of Israel!”

Source:
Land of Israel lovers, beware by Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover. Arutz Sheva – April 2, 2020

Former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) held a live Facebook chat on Wednesday in which she clarified her party’s position on unity government negotiations.

She criticized the Likud’s conduct towards her party, emphasizing that Likud is concentrating most of its efforts on Blue and White and “not us.”

“From what we hear, giving the Defense, Justice and Communications Ministries to the left-wing bloc is also a very heavy payment. In the Justice Ministry, there are a lot of issues besides legislation, such as appointing judges, settling in Judea and Samaria, that will be a serious blow to all our work and all our efforts to authorize the settlements,” Shaked added.

Shaked set a condition for her party’s entry into government. “If the developing government does not agree to apply Sovereignty within a month without conditions, it has no right to exist.”

Source:
Ayelet Shaked’s ultimatum on unity government by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – April 1, 2020

The coronavirus, like many other obstacles, is not impeding the activities of the Sovereignty Movement, which has been engaged in promoting the vision of Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria for the past decade.

The present days of partial closure and isolation also serve to expand the Movement’s circles of support. Informational materials are being prepared in anticipation of continuing activities and strengthening the bond between members of the movement who are spread out over the entire Land.

Sources:
Sovereignty Movement presents: Relevant questions for the novice debater by Mordechai Sones. Arutz Sheva – April 1, 2020

Hundreds of youths to Minister Levin: Do not forgo sovereignty in the Government Platform by Women in Green, April 1, 2020

Israeli Zionist activist NGO, the Ad Kan Organization, and senior reserve IDF and Israel Police officers have filed a petition with the High Court of Justice. Their request compels the Attorney General to open an investigation into the Breaking the Silence group and its foreign donors for illegally gathering classified IDF information.

Ad Kan is known for infiltrating Israeli leftist organizations, as well as organizing protests against anti-Israel groups.

The court ordered the Attorney General and Breaking the Silence to respond to the petition within the next two months. The petition was also forwarded to the European Union and foreign embassies – all of which have funded Breaking the Silence.

AFSI applauds Ad Kahn for demanding an investigation be opened into Breaking the Silence. It’s long overdue that they be held accountable for the information they gather and use against Israel. When such information falls into the wrong hands it makes Israel less safe.

Source:
Senior IDF Officers Petition High Court to Compel Prosecution of Breaking the Silence by David Israel. Jewish Press – April 2, 2020