Number 2 in blue and blue was interviewed for the first time since the unity agreement was signed to meet the press, and attacked his former partner • Lieberman: "In the Likud think no government will be formed"

For the first time since the unity agreement was signed, MK Gabi Ashkenazi (blue and white) broke a long silence on the "Meet the Press" program on News 12 on Saturday, explaining the commitment to Benjamin Netanyahu that the considerations for joining the emergency government have changed as the Corona spread and the Israeli economic crisis.

Gantz: "I prefer to beat the Corona rather than the social networks"

"I understand the disappointment of the public and the crisis. We have worked hard but the political results have not allowed us to form a government," said MK Ashkenazi. We did not predict the Corona and the economic crisis on Election Day. Responsible leadership cannot ignore reality. The choice is tough - are they going to form a government or an election. I am convinced that most of the public wants unity. A fourth election is an unbearable thought. "

During the interview, Ashkenazi also referred to MK Yair Lapid's initiative to freeze the political schedule, according to which the Netanyahu-led transition government will continue to serve for six months and then the moves to form a new government will resume. If they fail, Israel will run again for elections.

MK Ashkenazi, defined the Torch proposal as "surrender." Explaining: "There is a budget in three months. Freeze has no budget. I see such a proposal as submission. I am Golanchik and do not raise white flags. "

More on:

• Gantz keeps Hauser and Handel on for the next election

• There is a government: Netanyahu and Gantz signed the agreement to establish a national emergency government

• Gantz Torch: "The Great Deception in State History"

• Galant: "Ashkenazi works to replace Gantz"

In addition, Ashkenazi did not deny the intense opposition he expressed to Netanyahu's previous accession to the government, which is under indictment, but said: "I thought in the previous elections that several should be said. We said we will win the elections. We saw what happened. This is a fact that no government has established. "

On the big government that is expected to be set up, with a multitude of ministers and ministries, Ashkenazi said: "It's very difficult for me. That's a problem. We wanted a smaller government. But we will not mishandle all the positions and all the ministers. My son does not need a residence," he said. Ashkenazi added that they would work to cut significant wages. "There are currently 30 offices and we are adding one to this," he said.

MK Ashkenazi clarified that "there is not a single word in the veto agreement. There is mutual agreement. "On the possibility that Netanyahu will intervene in the appointment of Attorney General and State Attorney, Ashkenazi said:" As Netanyahu has not dealt with conflict so far - he will not deal with this later, it is the nature of several governments. Today's law allows the prime minister to remain in office until a final judgment. There are painful compromises here. We did not give up the flags of democracy. There is no unacceptable legislation here. In the first half, only Corona is handled. Any legislation that is agreed - will be done. "

On his former partner, Lapid, he said, "I greatly appreciate Yair," adding: "I am with Gantz and believe in him." 

Asked what Foreign Minister will do, MK Ashkenazi answered: "The additional challenge we have is the Trump program. People don't really understand how it can shape our future with our neighborhood. We believe it is best to make an impact on the inside. Everyone has to ask themselves when it comes to who they want at the wheel. "

Ashkenazi commented: "Where is Golani's legacy of warriors who never give up and where Gabi Ashkenazi. After all the talk and the passon simple equation - Ashkenazi gave up all his principles to be a foreign minister in the zoom of a prime minister accused of bribery. "There's a fundamental difference between courage on the battlefield and public courage. Not an emergency government or a unity government.

Yisrael Beiteinu, MK Avigdor Lieberman, was also interviewed in "Meet the Press" and questioned whether the unity government will ever be established: "Even in the Likud, the government does not believe that a government will eventually emerge. Gantz made every possible mistake, "May be that at the last moment, Netanyahu decides not to implement the agreement - and to go to the elections, perhaps with the excuse of a High Court intervention."

Regarding a possible union with the future of Talmud, Lieberman said: "So far all the unions have not proved themselves. What's more, there are ideological differences between the parties. "

This week, following the signing of the agreement for the establishment of a unity government, Yesh Atid's chairman - Tal, MK Yair Lapid, defined Benny Gantz's connection to the government with Benjamin Netanyahu as a "scam". 

"I apologize to anyone who persuaded him this past year to vote for Benny Gantz and White Blue. I didn't believe they would steal your vote and give it to Bibi. Your vote would set up the fifth Netanyahu government." "Gantz and Ashkenazi did not even pretend to care about the Corona. All that was really about the crisis, they ran away with it in open panic. Ashkenazi, who said he was 'getting under the stretcher', will be the foreign minister in zoom. Gantz said, 'I made sacrifices in politics.' "You're on the 14th floor of the Ministry of Defense. I've seen bigger victims."