Blue & White No. 2 Yair Lapid on Tuesday said that the party faces two options: Either forming a minority government with external support from Joint List or holding Israel's fourth election since April 2019.
Lapid made the comments on Facebook while discussing Blue & White efforts to form a government despite the refusal by its MKs Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser to rely on Knesset votes from the predominantly Arab Joint List.
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Blue & White's Yair Lapid on the morning after the March 2 elections
(Photo: Elad Gershgoren)
"Both options are difficult, while one is unacceptable," wrote Lapid on his Facebook page. "The best option is the one Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected outright, a national unity government."
"That is what we strove for from the very beginning, and that is what we still strive for today," he wrote. "A stable unity government with a rotation [for prime minister], starting with [Blue & White leader] Benny Gantz since Netanyahu will most probably be in court."
According to Lapid, Netanyahu vehemently rejected a proposal for a unity government because it would scupper his plans to escape prosecution by changing the law to be granted immunity from his criminal charges. His trial is set to begin on March 17.
"The only thing he is interested in is his three indictments," Lapid said. "He doesn't want unity because he knows he will be unable to legislate an immunity law [that would exempt him from prosecution while serving as prime minister] along with legislation that will effectively destroy the authority of the Supreme Court."
Lapid said that his party would form a narrow government with Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu and the Labor Party.
"Contrary to the lies Netanyahu is trying to spread, the Joint List will not be part of that government," he said.
Lapid said that such a move would be far from optimal but still better than a fourth election, which he said was Netanyahu's true goal.
"Netanyahu wants more hatred, more incitement, more violence and more money wasted," Lapid wrote. "This is the only option we have; we must think about what is best for Israel."
Hendel and Hauser have apparently voiced opposition to the possibility of forming a minority center-left government backed by the Joint List, despite numerous attempts to persuade them otherwise.
Following their apparent disagreement with Gantz regarding a coalition government, the party's No. 3, Moshe Ya'alon, said he expected the two to draw their own conclusions regarding their future in the party should they try to sabotage Gantz's efforts.
According to sources close to the two MKs, they remain adamant in their refusal to accept a narrow government.
While Hendel and Hauser are the ones leading the opposition within Blue & White to a government backed by the Joint List, sources close to the party claimed there are other MKs who feel "uncomfortable" with such a move.
The sources named MK Hili Tropper, a close associate of Gantz who has behind closed doors expressed his reluctance to accept a narrow government.
While Tropper's aversion to Gantz's plans is apparently common knowledge within the party, sources claim he will nevertheless vote in line with Blue & White's official position.
On Monday, Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the rival party's plans for a government, in a video posted online.
"Gantz is sending his messengers to negotiate with the likes of Balad," said Netanyahu, referring to one of the more extreme factions that comprises Joint List.
Integration Minster Yariv Levin of Likud has also attacked Gantz's plans, calling members of the Joint List "supporters of terrorism."
He, like Netanyahu, is seeking to frame the election results as a victory for the right-wing bloc, despite its inability to form a stable government as it is three short of the 61 MKs it needs.
According to Levin, Gantz is "unwilling to accept the public's choice in the elections."
Blue & White's center-left bloc has 55 MKs, and it too is unable to reach the 61 mark without the support of Liberman and his party's seven lawmakers.
"The Likud is the biggest party with 36 seats, it is a clear knock out victory," said Levin.