Still no deal to prevent elections between Likud, Blue and White
Finance Committee interim head Yitzhak Pindrus expressed disappointment that no agreement had been reached.
By GIL HOFFMANBlue and White leader Benny Gantz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu(photo credit: REUTERS)
Despite a compromise proposal supported by both Likud and Blue and White, the two parties did not succeed in reaching an agreement in time for Sunday afternoon's meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee.The compromise is intended to help avoid the November 17 elections that would be initiated automatically by midnight Monday night if no bill is passed into law by then to postpone the deadline for passing a state budget. The proposal calls for delaying key appointments that are important to both Likud and Blue and White.Finance Committee interim head Yitzhak Pindrus expressed disappointment that no agreement had been reached since the last meeting of the committee ended in a stalemate on Wednesday. But he decided to convene the committee anyway, in hopes of bridging the gaps."We have an obligation to prevent elections and chaos in the country," Pindrus told members of the committee.Pindrus adjourned the meeting until 9pm and then said only half joking that when it reconvenes, "if Likud and Blue and White have not reached an agreement, we could announce to the people of Israel that we are going to elections."MK Zvi Hauser (Derech Eretz) proposed a compromise on the issue of political appointments, which has been the toughest issue to resolve in the crisis. According to the compromise, Blue and White would honor the coalition agreement and form an appointments committee that includes Likud representatives, and appointments would be frozen until the committee meets.Talks are ongoing between Likud and Blue and White negotiating teams led by Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin (Likud) and Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn (Blue and White).One technical possibility if no compromise is finalized is that a constructive no-confidence vote could be passed on Monday that could lead to a new coalition without Likud or without Blue and White. Opposition MKs Moshe Ya’alon (Yesh Atid-Telem) and Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) called for such a maneuver, but Hauser, whose support would be needed, ruled that out, as did MKs in Likud and Blue and White.
