BICOM

What happened: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night called for the formation of a national emergency government with his rivals in Blue and White to combat the Coronavirus outbreak. Netanyahu indicated such a government would be for a “limited time, and together we will fight to save the lives of tens of thousands of citizens.”

• In his speech Netanyahu drew direct parallels to the eve of the 1967 war, when Israel’s first national unity Government was formed, and said the crisis could last months and  millions of people could die across the world.
• Benny Gantz spoke with Netanyahu last night and issued a statement saying: “In light of the situation, we are willing to discuss forming a broad national emergency government that will include representatives of the entire Knesset. We will spare no effort to promote this course of action for the sake of the citizens of Israel and the State of Israel.”
• Israeli commentators interpreted the words ‘entire Knesset’ to mean the Joint (Arab) List should be involved in the discussions, even though they are unlikely to agree to join the Government. Israeli media reported that Blue and White officials spoke to Arab politicians before the statement was issued and made clear this was its meaning.
• Gantz suggested this morning that negotiating teams from Blue and White and Netanyahu’s Likud meet “as quickly as possible to immediately explore” the option. Gantz and Netanyahu are believed to have met overnight and will meet again today. In response to Gantz’s statement the Prime Minister’s office said no parties who support terrorism would be able to join the Government.
• Israel has 126 infected individuals as of this morning, with the country taking some of the most stringent measures in the world against the pandemic, including banning gatherings of over 100 people, effectively shutting all border crossings, and requiring mandatory quarantine for anyone returning from overseas. Netanyahu yesterday said all schools would close from grades 1 to 12.
• Yisrael Beitenu head Avigdor Lieberman, speaking earlier yesterday, floated the idea of a national unity government consisting solely of Likud and Blue and White.
• It is almost a certainty that given the crisis, Netanyahu will, as the incumbent, seek to remain prime minister.

Context: The fast-moving global pandemic has reshuffled the entire deck of Israeli politics. Gantz was set to be asked by President Reuven Rivlin to form a government early next week, with the Knesset expected to be sworn in on Monday and Netanyahu’s corruption trial scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

• Even before Netanyahu’s speech, political figures from across the political spectrum had called for the formation of a national emergency government, including Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas), Defence Minister Naftali Bennett (Yamina), Likud parliamentarian Gideon Saar, Blue and White parliamentarian Yoaz Hendel, and former Labor parliamentarian Gen. (ret) Tal Russo.
• Gesher party head Orly Levy-Abuksis, who earlier in the week broke her alliance with the leftwing Labor and Meretz parties, officially requested to the president she be allowed to recommend any candidate for prime minister, an indication that she would not be recommending Gantz. Levy-Abuksis also called for the establishment of a national unity government.
• President Rivlin appeared to endorse the call for a national emergency government, stating last night that he “welcomes any initiative leading to the formation of a government as soon as possible…We must do everything to focus on the task we face.” Rivlin also spoke with Gantz last night.

Looking ahead: Given the public’s anxiety, Gantz and Blue and White will find it increasingly difficult to refuse entry into some kind of national unity government with Netanyahu – as they have done consistently since last April’s election.

• The two parties still need to negotiate the exact contours of such an “emergency government,” including which parties it will include, appointing ministers and sharing top posts between the parties.
• Netanyahu indicated that once the crisis passes, politics can resume “exactly from the point at which it has stopped now.”