Gantz Wants to Form Israel’s Next Government without Netanyahu

Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, looks on as he sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a memorial ceremony for late Israeli President Shimon Peres, at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, looks on as he sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a memorial ceremony for late Israeli President Shimon Peres, at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
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Gantz Wants to Form Israel’s Next Government without Netanyahu

Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, looks on as he sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a memorial ceremony for late Israeli President Shimon Peres, at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Benny Gantz, leader of Blue and White party, looks on as he sits next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a memorial ceremony for late Israeli President Shimon Peres, at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz declared on Thursday his willingness to lead a national unity government after rejecting an offer made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to join forces in a governing coalition under the incumbent.

With more than 97 percent of the vote counted, the centrist Blue and White party has 33 seats, while Netanyahu's Likud party is behind with 31, falling way short of the majority figure of 61.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, said in a video clip in which he urged Gantz, the country’s former military chief, to meet him “as soon as today”, that he had pledged during the election campaign to form a right-wing, Likud-led government.

“But to my regret, the election results show that this is impossible,” Netanyahu said.

“Benny, we must set up a broad unity government, as soon as today. The nation expects us, both of us, to demonstrate responsibility and that we pursue cooperation,” he added.

Gantz, speaking to reporters, said that Israelis want a national unity government and voiced his willingness to form and lead such a government.

President Reuven Rivlin, two days from now, will begin negotiations to pick the country’s next prime minister and approve the cabinet.

In Tel Aviv, in recent days, there have been reports of a rift in relations between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.

Political sources revealed that US mediator Jason Greenblatt, tasked with consultations pertaining to the “deal of the century,” suddenly asked to meet with Gantz, whose party became the first political power in Israel after the last general elections.



Turkish Energy Minister Says SOCAR May Become Partner in Providing Gas to Syria

Logo of Azerbaijan's SOCAR for natural gas. (Reuters)
Logo of Azerbaijan's SOCAR for natural gas. (Reuters)
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Turkish Energy Minister Says SOCAR May Become Partner in Providing Gas to Syria

Logo of Azerbaijan's SOCAR for natural gas. (Reuters)
Logo of Azerbaijan's SOCAR for natural gas. (Reuters)

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Wednesday that Azerbaijan's SOCAR could become a partner in Türkiye’s plans to provide Syria with natural gas, adding that Ankara hoped to start the provision soon.

Bayraktar said during a visit to Damascus in May that Türkiye would provide 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Syria annually, in addition to 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

"SOCAR might be a partner with us in this project. I hope we can normalize life in Syria," Bayraktar said during a visit to Vienna for an OPEC meeting.

Ankara, which supported opposition forces in neighboring Syria throughout the 13-year civil war that ended in December with the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, has now become one of the new Syrian government's main foreign allies while positioning itself to be a major player in Syria's reconstruction.