Netanyahu's spokesman denied that he had offered a prime minister rotation to Gantz and said he had not had contact with Gantz.
Urich denied that report, but forming a coalition now could depend on Blue and White reconsidering the offer.Gantz also denied that any negotiations with his party were taking place, and that “Netanyahu is afraid of the public’s verdict.” “At no point have I offered a rotation,” Netanyahu said. “Until this moment there has been no connection between Likud and Blue and White, and I have no intention of giving up my natural partners in a right-wing government. Blue and White officially reiterated that Israel would be going to an election on September 17, and that Gantz would be the next prime minister.“Netanyahu understands that he will lose the election, so he is looking for magic solutions,” said a Blue and White spokesman.Former prime minister Ehud Barak went further, saying that anyone who would cooperate with an effort to cancel the election would “become a partner in Netanyahu’s corruption” and would be shamed. Labor leadership candidate Itzik Shmuli condemned the move to cancel the race.But Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who is running with Likud, praised Edelstein’s initiative, saying that the election is unnecessary and harmful to the economy, and any attempt to cancel it must be welcomed. Education Minister Rafi Peretz from the Union of Right-Wing Parties also praised the idea, saying that if the election is canceled, cuts in his ministry’s budget could be canceled, too.Yisrael Beytenu announced that its MKs would back canceling the election if a national unity government of Likud, Blue and White and Yisrael Beytenu is formed.Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.