Israel at war: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz are currently holding talks on the establishment of an emergency national government.
Sources familiar with the details told Israel Hayom that the talks are down to the smallest details, while Gantz tries to understand whether Netanyahu accepts the army's recommendations regarding fighting in the various sectors, first and foremost the war against the Hamas terrorist organization.
Lapid announces he will join an emergency government: "Israel needs to be led by a professional, experienced and responsible echelon"
Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman announced today that he is ready to join an emergency government "if the prime minister, defense minister and chief of staff stand in front of the cameras and inform the people of Israel that the government has decided to eliminate the Hamas terrorist organization and all the terrorist leaders and will not settle for anything less."
Last night, opposition leader Yair Lapid and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz met to discuss details of joining an emergency government. The two take the position that an emergency national government should be established, but Lapid conditioned this on the removal of Smotrich and Ben-Gvir from the government, while Gantz did not make this demand.
Those close to Gantz say they are not demanding the dissolution of the government or the removal of the defense minister. In their view, such steps are a victory for Hamas. The two do demand to be helpful and influential in the government and cabinet, and not just statistical extras in an emergency government.
Moments of thwarting a terrorist squad from the air in Kibbutz Be'eri //IDF Spokesperson
Yesterday, Gantz and Lapid met with Netanyahu for regular updates. Gantz told Netanyahu that he was "positively considering the possibility of entering an emergency government during the war, which will focus solely on security challenges, and in a way that will allow partnership and substantial influence on decision-making in the relevant forums."
Lapid said after his meeting with the prime minister: "I just met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I informed him that in the current state of emergency, I am ready to put aside all disagreements and establish a professional, limited emergency government with him that will manage the difficult, complex and protracted campaign facing us." "Netanyahu knows that in the extreme and dysfunctional composition of the current cabinet, it is impossible to wage war. The State of Israel needs to be led by a professional, experienced and responsible political echelon. I have no doubt that former Defense Minister Benny Gantz will also join such a government."
He added: "The establishment of a professional emergency government will make it clear to our enemies that the absolute majority of Israeli citizens stand behind the IDF and the defense establishment. It will make it clear to the world, in the international arena, that the people of Israel unite and stand together against the threat."
The second day of the attack on the Gaza Strip: the extent of the horror in the street is exposed // Credit: Shmuel Buchris
Netanyahu responded by saying that he wanted an emergency government but one that included all the elements in the current government, and the Likud statement said: "During the meetings initiated today by Prime Minister Netanyahu with opposition leader Yair Lapid and Chairman of the State Camp MK Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Netanyahu offered both of them entry into a broad emergency government, in the same format as opposition leader Menachem Begin joined the Eshkol government on the eve of the Six-Day War."
MK Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Hayom about an emergency government: "I don't understand what an emergency government is. In any case, there is no coalition or opposition now. What will they do? Will they start firing people and bringing people in? Who needs it?! It is clear that at the moment all the issues are irrelevant, not ultra-Orthodox, not religion and state. Right now it's just security, and that's what we have all our backing."
In the coalition there are quite a few supporters of a unity government. MK Eli Dellal of the Likud wrote that "unity is the order of the day," as did MK Ohad Tal of Religious Zionism, who expressed support for a unity government.
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