Netanyahu, Gantz agree to form coalition government

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his long time political rival Benny Gantz, have agreed to form an emergency coalition government.

While disclosing this on Monday April 20, 2020, the Israeli minister said the coalition was due in part if not whole, to the need for the nation to jointly fight Covid-19 pandemic.

The deal between the Netantahu’s conservative Likud Party and Gantz’s centrist Blue and White Party means that Israelis would not be going to the poll for the fourth time. The deal will also end a longtime political deadlock between the two parties.

The deal involves a three-year power sharing between the two political figures as Gantz would take over from Netanyahu halfway through the three years period.

“I promised the State of Israel a national emergency government that would work to save the lives and livelihoods of Israeli citizens. I will continue to do everything for you citizens of Israel” Netanyahu said in a tweet on Monday.

The coalition government is a long-awaited development between the two parties as both parties had on several occasions failed to meet up with several deadlines to reach an agreement to form a coalition government.

Gantz had previously vowed that he would not serve under Netanyahu government as Netanyahu was, late last year indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

The two agreed to form a coalition government after they were faced with pressure from all sides to come up with a deal that would allow them move the country forward and jointly combat coronavirus pandemic.

In a message to his supporters on Monday, Gantz wrote, “We prevented a fourth election. We will maintain democracy. We will fight corona and take care of all Israeli citizens.”