Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz See 'Significant Progress' Toward Unity Govt

Former army chief Benny Gantz has agreed to join an 'emergency unity government' with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | AFP
Former army chief Benny Gantz has agreed to join an 'emergency unity government' with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | AFP
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Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz See 'Significant Progress' Toward Unity Govt

Former army chief Benny Gantz has agreed to join an 'emergency unity government' with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | AFP
Former army chief Benny Gantz has agreed to join an 'emergency unity government' with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu | AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his erstwhile rival Benny Gantz on Sunday announced "significant progress" in talks towards forming an emergency unity government amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Gantz, whose now fractured centrist Blue and White alliance had positioned itself as the alternative to Netanyahu in three inconclusive elections over the past year, was elected parliament speaker Thursday.

The two men had held talks through the night "aimed at establishing a national emergency government to deal with the corona crisis and the additional challenges facing the State of Israel," said a joint statement from Blue and White and Netanyahu's Likud.

"Significant progress was made during the meeting," it added.

"During the course of the day, an additional meeting will be held in order to come to a finalized agreement."

Gantz was tasked with forming a government following the March 2 vote -- something he had been unable to do after two elections last year.

There was no guarantee he would succeed this time, given a lack of cohesion within the anti-Netanyahu bloc.

The divided anti-Netanyahu forces, who held a narrow majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, forced the ouster this week of speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party.

Gantz then put himself forward as speaker, triggering the break-up of Blue and White, with two key partners -- the Telem and Yesh Atid parties -- accusing Gantz of surrendering "without a fight" to Netanyahu.

Gantz and Netanyahu had both previously voiced support for a unity government to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far seen over 3,800 Israelis infected, including 12 deaths.

There were no official details of the makeup of a future government, but Netanyahu has in past weeks proposed 18-month premiership terms -- with him taking the first, to be followed by Gantz.

The veteran premier, in office since 2009, was in January charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, with the start of his trial delayed due to the virus pandemic.

Netanyahu denies the charges.



Taiwan President Discusses US Tariff Response with Tech Execs

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in Taipei, Taiwan December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in Taipei, Taiwan December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
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Taiwan President Discusses US Tariff Response with Tech Execs

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in Taipei, Taiwan December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in Taipei, Taiwan December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te met tech executives on Saturday to discuss how to respond to new US tariffs, promising to ensure Taiwan's global competitiveness and safeguard the island's interests.

President Donald Trump announced across-the-board import tariffs on Wednesday with much higher duties for dozens of trading partners, including Taiwan, which runs a large trade surplus with the United States and is facing a 32% duty on its products.

The US tariffs, however, do not apply to semiconductors, a major Taiwanese export.

Lai met the executives at his official residence to discuss the response to "the global economic and trade challenges brought about by the reciprocal tariff policy", his spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement, Reuters reported.

She did not say which companies were present, only that there were several representatives from the information and communications technology, or ICT, industry.

Lai "hopes to give industry the greatest support, stabilise the economic situation, ensure Taiwan's industry's global competitiveness, and safeguard our country's national interests and the continued steady progress of our economy", Kuo said.

Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and an important supplier to companies including Apple and Nvidia.

TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it attended the meeting. TSMC is in its quiet period ahead of first quarter earnings announcement on April 17.

On Friday, Taiwan's government unveiled T$88 billion ($2.67 billion) in financial help for companies and industries to deal with the impact of the US tariffs.

Taiwan, which says the tariffs are unreasonable, has said it will discuss them with the United States and has not announced any retaliatory tariffs.