In yet another twist as Israeli policy has it secret, President Reuven Rivlin granted in extremis on the night of Monday April 13 to Tuesday April 14, 48 hours of overtime to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-rival Benny Gantz to form a government "Unity and urgency" facing the coronavirus.
Shortly after the end of Mr. Gantz's term of office to form a government, at midnight (11:00 p.m. Paris time), the president gave the green light to a joint request from the two political leaders to grant them until Wednesday evening midnight, in order to agree on a unity government and thus put an end to the longest political crisis in the modern history of Israel.
Benny Gantz, former general who became head of the centrist formation Kahol Lavan (Blue-White, colors of the Israeli flag), had obtained the mandate to form the next government after the legislative elections of March 2, the third in less than a year, which in theory were finally to decide between the two candidates.
Giving up, at least in the short term, his plan to become prime minister, Gantz had caused surprise by announcing at the end of March his intention to form a government with his rival, Benjamin Netanyahu, in order to endow Israel with a government. "Emergency" facing the crisis of the new coronavirus.
"The hour of truth"
But discussions between the two sides did not end at midnight. In this scenario, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin was supposed to give parliamentarians three weeks to find a candidate who could rally enough support to try to form the next government.
Just before the end of the mandate, the two sides jointly asked the president for an exceptional extension in order to continue their talks. Shortly after midnight, when Gantz's term had theoretically expired, President Rivlin acquiesced at the request of the two party leaders.
"At the meeting this evening between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kahol Lavan chief Benny Gantz, significant progress was made towards the formation of a national emergency government. The two parties agreed to meet again tomorrow morning in the presence of the negotiating teams ", they said in a joint statement.
"Netanyahu, we have arrived at the hour of truth. The Israelis expect us to put our differences aside and work together for them. (…) History will not forgive us if we do not succeed ”said Gantz earlier Monday evening in a TV address. "The emergency forced me to renounce my commitment that I will not sit in a government led by Netanyahu"added Gantz, who accused the outgoing Prime Minister a few weeks ago of corruption.
Opinion polls very favorable to Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu, 70, has been charged with corruption in a series of cases. His trial was scheduled to open in mid-March, but the containment measures imposed to curb the coronavirus crisis include the temporary closure of the courts and therefore the postponement of the Prime Minister's trial, which is the most long-lasting in the history of the country. country with fourteen years in power.
On Monday, the Israeli press questioned the real will of outgoing Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has led a transitional government for more than a year, to seal a pact with Gantz.
Commentators say Netanyahu may be playing a wait-and-see role in order to provoke a fourth election, based on very favorable opinion polls that coincide with his handling of the pandemic. The new coronavirus has infected more than 11,000 people and left 116 people dead in Israel, according to the latest reports from health authorities.
A last poll credited on Monday the Likud of Mr. Netanyahu with 40 seats and a total of 64 deputies with his allies of the radical right and ultra-Orthodox parties, that is to say beyond the majority threshold (61 seats out of 120 of the Knesset, the Parliament) that no leader has managed to rally after the last three elections.