Gantz Retracts Unity Gov’t Statement As Parties Submit Final Electoral Lists

By Staff, Agencies

As the “Israeli” entities parties finalized their lists with the Central Elections Committee Thursday night, leader of Blue and White party Benny Gantz sparked a short term tumult after saying he won't rule out forming with the entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party a unity government.

“We will call for a unity government and an agreement immediately after the elections,” Gantz told Hebrew media correspondents in the Knesset, as party officials registered their lists ahead of deadline day.

However, shortly afterwards, Gantz returned to the journalists and said "I did not hear the question well. I will not sit with Netanyahu, I came to replace him – make no mistakes." The chairman of Blue and White then pointed to his right ear and added, "It’s my M16 ear," referring to the military rifle.

“Israeli” media reported that the question asked of Gantz was whether he will consider a unity government with Netanyahu in case the Trump administration puts forward a so-called “peace” plan with the Palestinians.

"‘Israel’ comes first. We will do what's best for ‘Israel’," he replied, causing the short-lived media stir.

Ten parties have already registered Wednesday, among them Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and Moshe Feiglin's Zehut, YNET News reported.

The “Israeli” entity’s ultra-Orthodox Shas party registered Thursday morning with a change of list from the April elections, including Ethiopian candidates. Shas's chairman was cited in YNET News saying "Benjamin Netanyahu will be the Prime Minister. We are with him all the way. Gantz won't be, period."

The two far-right parties Noam and Otzma Yehudit [Jewish Power] have decided not to run together in the coming elections. “Israeli” media reported that the Rabbinate-backed Noam party refused to integrate non-religious candidates from the nationalist Otzma party into a joint list.