Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz on Monday signed an agreement to form a government after three successive national elections and a year of political stalemate in the country.
The agreement comes after Gantz broke up his centrist Blue and White party to join Netanyahu in a so-called “unity government,” following the spread of coronavirus to Israel and the subsequent shutdown of much of the country. Gantz had initially campaigned to unseat Netanyahu and vowed not to sit with the prime minsiter due to looming corruption charges against the incumbent.
“I am at peace because I did what my nation needs,” Gantz said in a Facebook post in late March, explaining his decision to try to join Netanyahu. “These are unusual times. Israel is in a state of emergency. Hundreds of thousands of families are hunkering down in their homes….This is the time for leaders to choose what is right and put the lingering issues and personal scores aside.”
The coalition deal, reached after weeks of parliamentary haggling, will now be sent to the smaller right-wing religious parties in Netanyahu’s camp, who are generally expected to sign it. According to the agreement, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the next 18 months, at which point Gantz will assume the post.
The agreement follows successive elections in which Netanyahu failed to obtain a majority of seats in Israel’s parliament. The country has been led by a “caretaker” government throughout the deadlock, with Netanyahu at its head.