Why did Benny Gantz form a coalition government with Benjamin Netanyahu?
And will he regret it?
The major question everyone in Israel has been asking is whether or not Benny Gantz, leader of the center-right Blue and White party, did right by joining forces with his sworn political enemy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an emergency coalition government.
Those arguing yes, mainly from the right side of the political spectrum, maintain that the coronavirus pandemic is sufficiently scary to bring together all political parties to fight something that is beyond politics. In addition, it puts an end to nearly two years of political uncertainty—of inconclusive elections, interim governments, the impossibility of passing a budget, and a lot else besides.
Those arguing no include members of Blue and White’s formal partners, Yesh Atid and others, who point out that in joining this coalition government Gantz has denied the chief platform for his own election bid to become prime minister: an end to Netanyahu’s 11-year reign. Gantz’s main claim against Netanyahu was that he is facing three counts of mistrust and corruption, which could land him in jail if he’s proven guilty, and therefore that he cannot fulfill his role as prime minister and fight these charges at the same time.
