Netanyahu, Gantz meet in final effort to negotiate unity government

Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night with just 26 hours to go before his mandate expires.

By World Israel News and JNS

Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat down to meet around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with just one day left before Gantz’s mandate to form a government will expire.

Netanyahu and his coalition negotiating team met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin earlier in the evening.

Gantz and Netanyahu last met on Oct. 27, a few days after Gantz was tasked by Rivlin with forming government following Netanyahu’s failure to do so.

The Tuesday meeting was called by Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, who has advocated for a national unity government that includes his own party.

Over the past three days, Lieberman has met with Netanyahu twice, calling the meetings “good and professional” in a joint statement with the prime minister.

Prior to the meeting on Tuesday night, Netanyahu posted a video to social media urging Gantz and Liberman to form a unity govt and make annexing the Jordan Valley its first order business.

Netanyahu added, “The nation and history won’t forgive anyone who doesn’t take this opportunity.”