Likud, Blue and White: Coalition definite next week

Both parties confident High Court won't intervene

By GIL HOFFMAN
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz sign a unity government agreement (photo credit: Courtesy)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz sign a unity government agreement
(photo credit: Courtesy)
With next Thursday’s deadline to build a coalition fast approaching, Likud and Blue and White officials expressed confidence on Wednesday night that they will pass the necessary legislation to enable a government in the week ahead.
President Reuven Rivlin’s three-week mandate for any MK to obtain the support of 61 MKs to form a government expires next Thursday night at midnight. That has become the deadline to pass two separate bills that Likud and Blue and White see as a prerequisite for the government’s formation.
A filibuster by Yesh Atid-Telem put making that deadline into jeopardy. But Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, who is now Knesset Speaker, added three extra voting days in the Knesset plenum on Thursday, Sunday and next Sunday to ensure that the bills will be passed.
“I am cautiously optimistic we will accomplish our goal of passing the bills on time,” said Blue and White MK Eitan Ginzburg, who chairs a special Knesset committee formed to pass the bills. “We knew there would be a filibuster, but we are actually ahead of schedule.”
Ginzburg expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would not intervene to prevent the government's formation, as did Likud politicians close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to issue his long-awaited ruling as early as Thursday on whether he believes Netanyahu can form a government despite his criminal indictments. Mandelblit had postponed his ruling while waiting for the political parties to submit their opinions to the court. Blue and White submitted its case for permitting Netanyahu to form a government on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court will deal with whether Netanyahu can form a government on Sunday and with the legality of the coalition agreements on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is expected to then rule on both by next Thursday, ahead of that night's Knesset votes to approve the new government.       
“I don’t think the Supreme Court will interfere,” a politician close to Netanyahu said. “The judges would have to understand that it would result in sending the Israeli public to yet another election during the coronavirus crisis or a bill that would override their decision. They should realize that the rope is already tight as it is. I don’t think they will take the risk of tearing it apart.”
The final makeup of Netanyahu’s coalition remains unclear. The prime minister met last Wednesday with Yamina leader Naftali Bennett and they agreed to continue their conversation soon afterwards. But more than a week later, no follow-up meeting had been set.