October 28, 2019, 10:57 AM – latest revision October 28, 2019, 12:39 PM

Lawmaker Lapid says ‘a government can be formed within 48 hours’ if incumbent premier accepts rotation deal.

Israel’s Prime minister-designate Benny Gantz spoke of his meeting with the interim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day, saying “it was a matter-of-fact meeting, but regretfully we did not achieve real progress.”

Speaking first during his Blue and White party’s sitting on Monday, Gantz said “We will listen to small parties, but we will not let them dictate the national agenda. The good option is still a unity government with Likud. The worst is an election.”

Party co-leader Yair Lapid spoke after the former military chief, saying, “a government can be formed within 48 hours. All that Benjamin Netanyahu needs to do is accept a rotation deal where he is second.

Earlier, Hebrew-language outlet Ynet reported that chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu Avigdor Liberman said he would oppose a bill that would prevent a parliamentarian to recommend himself to the premiership role in case he is indicted.

Liberman referred to three separate corruption cases currently lapping over the walls of Netanyahu’s continued tenure as prime minister, taking a position that would be in favor of the incumbent premier.

However, he lambasted Netanyahu’s recent “smears and accusations” that were directed toward him.

“I really wonder how low can you get. Everything I’ve seen on social media is about ‘the strange conduct of Liberman and his foreign considerations.’” But “our line of conduct is the most moderate, responsible and weighed,” he added.

Referring to the meeting he held with Gantz, Liberman said “It was a good meeting, we focused only on security issues. What is in the cards, what is his stance in regards to the Gaza Strip, do we continue with the capitulation or not, what happens in regards to the Palestinians… and the policy toward Iran.”

Source: i24News