Members of the four parties that make up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc (Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism and Yamina) signed a pledge on Sunday evening which states that if the majority of the Knesset decides to choose a new speaker they would rescind their offer of forming a "broad unity government" with Blue and White.
The pledge states that "we see any attempt to oust the incumbent speaker before a viable government emerges crosses a red line and eliminates the possibility of forming a broad emergency government."
In the midst of the global corona epidemic, this is an irresponsible step that will inevitably lead to a fourth election, unnecessary risks and loss of life, and the economic collapse of many citizens in Israel.
If blue and white take this devastating step, it means that they have decided to practically eliminate the possibility of a unity government being negotiated between the parties.
The Likud Party's proposed unity agreement with "Blue and White" states that Prime Minister Netanyahu will serve for a year and a half, followed by Benny Gantz for the same period.
The proposal demanded not only that Netanyahu be the first to serve as prime minister, but also that the Speaker of the Knesset and the Finance Minister be Likud members as well, to be replaced only when Blue and White MK Benny Gantz replaces Netanyahu.
The pledge claimed the clauses within the unity proposal were intended to assist Netanyahu to pass legislation and a budget in the Knesset to manage financial and economic affairs amid the coronavirus crisis.
Members of Yamina said that they would sign the pledge, but asked that the phrasing be "refined."
The pledge claimed that Blue and White MK Yair Lapid's true intent in wanting a new speaker was "to thwart the unity government and to pass on Iran-style anti-democratic laws."
"These Iranian laws will prevent Prime Minister Netanyahu from serving as prime minister and running for direct prime ministerial elections, which Lapid scandalously plans to hold in this term already during the crisis," the pledge states.
Furthermore, the pledge stated that if the proposed law to bar anyone from being prime minister once under indictment were to pass, no candidate would be put forward by the right wing bloc in direct elections.