Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar could run in a joint list in Israel's next elections, which could happen sooner rather than later due to the current crisis within the coalition, KAN News reported on Wednesday.
Sa'ar's New Hope faction, which barely crosses the 3.25% threshold in recent polls, would be given a lifeline by the defense minister's Blue and White party.
Politicians within the government are reportedly resigned to the premature collapse of the government, which seems impending due to the resignation of coalition chairwoman MK Idit Silman last week.
According to the report, Gantz believes New Hope's list could add valuable expertise to his relatively inexperienced list and help position his faction as a right-leaning center movement.
Multiple reports, spanning from before the last election in March 2023 to current day, stated Blue and White could merge with New Hope and even Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party to form a large center-right bloc in the Knesset to counter opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud faction, the largest in the Knesset.
In an interview given to all major Israeli channels, Bennett expressed confidence in his coalition's stability and stated it can survive only if its members want it to.
Bennett also denied reports the Joint List will be asked to join the coalition to make up for Silman's lost vote after Joint List leader Ayman Odeh called on Israeli police officers to refuse orders.
In response to KAN News' report, sources close to Gantz said he "is not thinking about the next election cycle and hopes the government will continue to function."
New Hope, however, denied the report, stating it will "run independently."