Labor-Gesher MK trying to get 61 signatures to promote Yuli Edelstein
Labor-Gesher MK Omer Bar-Lev said that it is time to set aside ego and consider the option that seems to him the only way to avoid a third election.
By TAMAR URIEL-BEERILabor MK Omer Bar-Lev 370(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Labor-Gesher MK Omer Bar-Lev announced on Saturday that he, without much else of a choice, is attempting to get 61 signatures of members of the Knesset to get Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein to form the next government.Speaking at a Saturday event in Tel Aviv, Bar-Lev said that because Edelstein is the Knesset speaker, Bar-Lev does not intend to "enter the internal struggles of the Likud."Bar-Lev said that it is time to set aside ego and consider the option that seems to him the only way to avoid a third election.The Labor-Gesher party released a statement soon after, saying that despite their support for Bar-Lev, they have nothing to do with his campaign and continue to promote Blue and White leader Benny Gantz as the only candidate they support to form the next government."We respect MK Omer Bar-Lev very much, but this is a private idea of his," the Labor-Gesher party said in a statement. "The Labor party stands by its committment to sign a petition for MK Benny Gantz alone."Edelstein has repeatedly attempted to mend the gap between the Blue and White and Likud parties to try and form a government before the mandate expires. He summoned their negotiating teams in late November in an effort to end the stalemate.The Likud released a statement saying that they appreciate Edelstein's attempts to prevent another election.
