Benny Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu ‘close to unity deal’ in Israel

Israel’s main political leaders have until midnight on Wednesday to reach a deal on an emergency unity government.

Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz is reportedly close to a unity deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Picture: AFP

Israel’s main political leaders have until midnight on Wednesday (7am, Thursday AEST) to reach a deal on an emergency unity government.

The narrow negotiating window was approved by President Reuven Rivlin minutes after Benny Gantz’s four-week mandate to form a government ­expired at midnight on Monday.

In a joint statement, Mr Gantz’s centrist Blue and White alliance and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party said “significant progress” had been made towards a deal in direct talks ­between the two men early on Tuesday. But claims of progress in coalition talks have been made repeatedly since Israel’s in­conclusive March 2 election, while a deal has remained ­elusive.

As Israel’s unprecedented political deadlock has persisted, there have been widespread calls for an interim, national unity government to combat COVID-19, which has infected more than 11,550 Israelis.

Mr Gantz, an ex-military chief, has squared off against Mr Netanyahu in three votes over the past year. Neither man earned enough support in any of the votes to forge a stable governing coalition.

Following the most recent polls, a majority of MPs in Israel’s 120-person parliament, or Knesset, recommended Mr Gantz try to form a government. But his chances of forging a stable ­coalition were always remote, given the deep divisions within the anti-Netanyahu camp.

In a surprise move last month, Mr Gantz was elected Knesset Speaker and effectively stopped seeking to form a coalition that he would lead as prime minister.

Instead, he called for an ­alliance that would be led by Mr Netanyahu for a defined period, allowing Israeli politics to have a rare moment of unity as it stares down an unprecedented health crisis.

The two men have discussed various arrangements, including deals that would see Mr Gantz take over as prime minister after several months.

“Israelis are expecting us to put aside our differences and work together,” Mr Gantz said late on Monday, calling this a “moment of truth”.

“History will not forgive us if we fail.”

In a statement on Tuesday morning, Mr Rivlin said he had agreed to extend Mr Gantz’s mandate following a request that came “with the support” of Mr Netanyahu. The pair conveyed “they are very close to reaching an agreement”.

AFP