Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz were holding further talks on forming a unity government Tuesday morning after announcing “major progress” in negotiations the night before.
They were joined by their negotiating teams.
The two met late Monday at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, during which they asked President Reuven Rivlin to extend Gantz’s mandate to assemble a government, which expired at midnight.
The president granted the request, giving Gantz until Wednesday midnight to finalize a deal. A statement from the President’s Residence said he agreed to do so “on the understanding that they are very close to reaching an agreement between them.”
Rivlin on Sunday had turned down a request from Gantz for a 14-day extension, which was not supported by Netanyahu. The President’s Residence said at the time that Netanyahu confirmed to Rivlin the sides were not close to signing an agreement.
Following their late-night meeting, Gantz and Netanyahu released a joint statement saying there had been “significant progress in talks to form an emergency unity government.”
Gantz is seeking a unity government with Likud that would see him and Netanyahu rotate the premiership, with the incumbent prime minister keeping the reins for the first 18 months.
There were no details early Tuesday on what compromises had been made, but Channel 12 news reported that Netanyahu’s allies in the Yamina party were fuming over the agreements and were set to bolt to the opposition.
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