Gantz pledges to mend ties with Democrats if elected

Blue & White leader tell a mostly English-speaking crowd in Tel Aviv his party will 'rehabilitate' Israel's ties with the Democratic Party and the American Jewry following years of Netanyahu's neglect for bipartisan ties

Associated Press|02.18.20 | 09:47

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Blue & White leader Benny Gantz said on Monday that if he becomes prime minister after the country's third national elections in less than a year next month, he would work to mend ties with the Democratic Party in the United States.
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The former army chief of staff accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of neglecting bipartisan ties in favor of exclusive support from President Donald Trump's Republican Party.
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Gantz and his running mate Yair Lapid addressed a crowd in Tel Aviv 
(Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Netanyahu has heavily emphasized his relationship with Trump in the past year of electioneering, and has drawn criticism for alienating Democrats in the process. Both Gantz and Netanyahu have called for bipartisan support for Israel in the United States.
Gantz, who leads the centrist party, said it was "very important that we emphasize the importance of bipartisan relationship between Israel and the United States."
"We don't care if the American president is a Republican or Democrat," Gantz said. "If he is a good president for the United States," then that person would be a "good president for the State of Israel as well."
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President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu present Mideast peace plan 
(Photo: GPO)
Gantz and his running mate Yair Lapid addressed a crowd of around 1,000 mostly English speakers at an event in Tel Aviv. Lapid said that Israel faces the task of a "rehabilitation" of ties with the Democrats and with American Jewry in general.
Gantz is trying to unseat Netanyahu in the March 2 vote - Israel's third consecutive parliamentary vote after two elections in 2019 failed to yield a conclusive result. Netanyahu, Israel's longest serving prime minister, seeks reelection while facing indictments on corruption charges. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Pre-election polls indicate that neither Gantz nor Netanyahu has a clear path to a parliamentary majority.

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rivlin-don't expunge olmert's criminal record

olmert has shown no remorse except for having got caught. as for contributions to the state -lets look at it. he offered the golan to assad. he buggered up the hezbollah war with some 160 idf casualites while he hesitated about a full invasion so he sent in too few troops. he removed israelis from gaza saying life woulld be fun and we are tired of fighting. next his plan of peace concessions to abbas is the deathnell of israel. for this, his record should be expunged????????are you serious??? he should be thrown back into jail to serve a full sentence.

james| 02.18.20

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this is a campaign slogan?

like other generals who have tried politics(save sharon), gantz turns out to be a bust. not only was he a weak chief of staff, he is turning into another lapid, sitting there, saying he would mend ties with the democrats. big bloody deal. israel has to protect is own interests, not kiss ass. olmert would be given a role if lapid and gantz win, and that will be the death of israel. olmert is gulible, afraid of bloody scenes, and has no understanding of what war takes.good for him when he says abbas is trusted. move to ramallah and eat sweets and drink strong coffee. and don't come back to israel, most of the country hates you from top to bottom.

jake| 02.18.20

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Gantz is the figurehead in BW whilst Lapid pulls the strings, if Gantz had been his own man we would have had just 1 election. Sadly because Lapid is in charge and thinking of his own term as PM when Gantz steps down in two years he would rather multiple elections rather than any power sharing deal with Netanyahu.

02.18.20

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