National Unity chairman Benny Gantz told his faction Monday that he will not accept any coalition of 61 MKs — neither a Netanyahu-led government with Haredi and far-right parties, nor an alternative bloc relying on Arab parties. He said a conscription law must be passed before the new government takes office, as reported by Nadav Elimelech (N12).
National Unity chairman Benny Gantz sharpened his position Monday, vowing to pass a conscription law before any government is sworn in and rejecting both a narrow Netanyahu-led coalition with Haredi and far-right parties and an alternative bloc reliant on Arab party support. The statement, reported by N12's Nadav Elimelech, goes beyond his earlier demand from Sunday, when he insisted on a conscription law as a condition for forming a government.
The thread began Sunday at 12:54 Jerusalem, when initial reports (Ynet) indicated that talks between Gantz and MK Yoaz Hendel had collapsed over Hendel's demands. Hours later, Gantz denied the breakdown, saying negotiations were ongoing and welcoming Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein to join his camp. By the same afternoon, Gantz and Hendel had agreed to demand a conscription law as a condition for forming a government, as reported by Amit Segal (N12). The latest development, 26 hours later, escalates that demand: the conscription law must now be passed before the government is sworn in, and Gantz explicitly rules out two coalition formulas.
The conscription bill has been a recurring flashpoint in the outgoing Knesset. As The Zioneer reported on June 30, Prime Minister Netanyahu admitted he failed to pass the bill because the coalition addressed it too late. On July 1, the Knesset legal adviser criticized the replacement of the original bill with a different framework, and opposition leader Naftali Bennett vowed to repeal any exemption laws. Gantz's earlier talks with Hendel, reported on July 5, were part of ongoing efforts to build a coalition around the conscription issue.
It remains unclear which parties would support a conscription law before a government is sworn in, and whether the demand can be met given the current political deadlock. The specific wording of the bill and the timeline for legislation have not been detailed.
4 developments
- DevelopingGantz tells Netanyahu: if it's up to you, a government with Haredim and extremists will form
- StrongGantz says he feels only concern, not schadenfreude, over emerging deal
- DevelopingGantz hints at political unification: 'Patience'
- DevelopingAmit Segal: Eisenkot reaffirms willingness to form government with Arab party support
Source and signal
- Internal intake