Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has embarked on trying to form a government under challenging circumstances, after last week’s election produced a stalemate between his Likud party and the Blue and White party.
Tourism and Immigration Minister Yariv Levin, head of the Likud negotiating team, told Kan radio station on Thursday that his party is willing to negotiate on the basis of a proposal by the president for a unity government with equal partners.
Netanyahu has 28 days to form a government.
President Reuven Rivlin said Wednesday that he had offered Blue and White leader Benny Gantz and Netanyahu the option of “a government of equals, in which neither bloc would have an advantage.”
Such a government would involve a premiership rotation.
Rivlin suggested that the law be changed in order to give an acting prime minister more power so that “whenever the prime minister is unable to fulfil his role, the interim prime minister serves as prime minister in all respects.”
“This was my suggestion to solve the political and legal complications we face,” he said, referring to the corruption indictments Netanyahu faces, pending a hearing set for next week.
Gantz on Wednesday repeated his position that his party “does not agree to sit in a government whose leader is facing a severe indictment.”
Levin also reinforced Likud’s demand that it will only enter a coalition as part of the right-wing and religious bloc of 55 lawmakers, as per an agreement they all signed.
Gantz’s party has spoken about forming a liberal unity government, which would clash with the interests of the ultra-Orthodox parties. (dpa/NAN)