Israel, 11 October 2023 (GNP): Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and National Unity Party head Benny Gantz announced the creation of an emergency wartime government, four days after Hamas launched an attack on Israel.
Gantz had previously been against joining the current administration, which is the most far-right government Israel has ever seen. He and other opposition figures have recently altered their minds, asserting that all internal differences must be put aside to present a unified front to Israel’s adversaries and give soldiers fighting on the front lines trust in the leadership.
On Saturday night, opposition leader Yair Lapid was the first to publicly propose an emergency unity government; Netanyahu and Gantz soon endorsed his proposal. The new coalition will create a small war cabinet that will only consist of Gantz, Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Also Read: Israel Launches Airstrikes on Gaza in Retaliation.
Recent days saw discussions between Netanyahu and Gantz; the public largely viewed the emergency government as necessary in light of the present security situation. Gantz was anticipated to participate in negotiations right away, even though the Knesset won’t ratify the new government until Thursday.
Gantz, Eisenkot, Gideon Sa’ar, Chili Tropper, and Yifat Shasha-Biton will be five of the National Unity party’s representatives in the larger security cabinet that oversees all governments. Both Likud and National Unity agreed that no Knesset legislation or cabinet resolutions unrelated to handling the war would be introduced during the conflict. Amir Yaron, the president of the Bank of Israel, would have his tenure extended until the end of the conflict, they also agreed.
Members of Likud were largely in favor of the decision to establish the new, larger government.
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The agreement, according to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, “is the right and necessary thing to do — from now on, we work together.” David Amsalem, a Likud minister, stated on X that he had been working “intensively” during the previous 48 hours to aid in the formation of such a government and that he was happy to see it take shape.
Following Hamas’s Saturday attack, which saw hundreds of Israelis killed and 150 taken to Gaza, both coalition and opposition benches immediately called for a unity agreement.
