Blue and White unimpressed by Likud overture on budget
Katz's offer is seen as a way to call Gantz's bluff and shift the blame to Blue and White if early elections are initiated.
By GIL HOFFMAN, TOBIAS SIEGALAlternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz's Blue and White on the 2021 state budget did not come closer to being resolved on Wednesday, despite an overture from Finance Minister Israel Katz.Katz's office announced that the Finance Ministry intends to pass the 2021 state budget in February, despite Gantz's demand that the budget pass in December."Finance Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to convene on Monday and present the proposed state budget for 2021, marking the first step in the process of approving it," the Finance Ministry statement said. "After Netanyahu approves the budget's outline, the Finance Ministry will begin the process of approving its finer details with the various government offices, including the Justice Ministry."Sources close to Gantz said they were unimpressed by Katz's offer."We cannot wait for February, and there is no reason to wait until February," a source close to Gantz said.Gantz said in TV interviews on Tuesday that the budget dispute could easily be resolved. Katz's offer is seen as a way to call Gantz's bluff and shift the blame to Blue and White if early elections are initiated.
