The Blue and White Party announced that the meeting would not take place in light of the "refusal of the Likud bloc and Netanyahu to approve the permanent appointment of a justice minister, which would harm the rule of law and democracy" • The Likud responded:
The Blue and White Party, led by Bnei Gantz, announced tonight (Sunday) that no cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow, in light of "the Likud bloc and Netanyahu's refusal to approve a permanent appointment of a justice minister at the cabinet meeting, which will harm the rule of law and democracy."
Gantz: "There were those who eulogized us - we chose to fight" // Photo: From Bnei Gantz's Facebook page
The Likud responded: "An unbelievable scandal. For appointments and jobs, Ganz is preventing the signing of contracts for the millions of vaccines required of Israeli citizens in preparation for the next vaccine. If the government does not immediately approve the contracts, the vaccine companies may cancel them and transfer them to other countries." Which endangers the safety and health of all Israeli citizens. "
Gantz's announcement came shortly after his meeting with Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid, intended after a rift that has lasted since the March 2020 election. According to the joint announcement, "the two discussed ways to form a government and replace Netanyahu."
Gantz's permanent appointment as Minister of Justice is expected to expire next Thursday (April 1).
If the appointment of the Minister of Justice is not approved by then, the person who will serve as the actual Minister of Justice is the Director General of the Ministry of Justice, Shimi Brown.
Gantz addressed the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday and demanded that the appointment of the Minister of Justice be raised at a cabinet meeting scheduled to take place on Monday, the agenda of which has not yet been set.
Ganz said: "The non-appointment of a permanent justice minister will also have consequences for the management of the transitional government. I will do everything in my power to prevent Netanyahu, who is affected by foreign considerations, from harming Israeli citizens."
Shortly after Gantz's appeal, Attorney General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Deputy Prime Minister Bnei Gantz to fill the positions of ministers currently staffed on a permanent basis in permanent positions.