Worthy Christian News > Israel-Palestinian Conflict > Gantz receives unexpected majority, tasked with forming Israeli government

Gantz receives unexpected majority, tasked with forming Israeli government

by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will task Blue and White leader Benny Gantz with forming the next government, after the leftist former IDF chief gained a majority of seats in the Knesset with unexpected support.

Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, who withheld his handful of seats in the two previous elections to keep Netanyahu from becoming Prime Minister, and also refused twice to support Gantz because of the Blue and White leader’s reliance on Arab parties, surprisingly gave his endorsement to Gantz along with a majority of Knesset lawmakers that included the Arab Joint List and Labor-Gesher-Meretz.

“These are not normal consultations; we need to work to form a government as soon as possible,” President Rivlin counseled in meetings with party leaders that were restricted by the Health Ministry to less than ten people because of the coronavirus.

Rivlin is firmly endorsing the idea of Netanyahu and Gantz running a unity government together, though the Arab Joint List upon which Gantz is relying for a governing majority has vowed to oppose any government involving Netanyahu and to “be its biggest opponents.”