Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, was elected, on Thursday evening, as Speaker of the 23rd new Israeli Knesset, causing the dissolution of the coalition that led him for the second year with the participation of several parties, and after a year-long confrontation And three months with the Likud party, in which he previously rejected all attempts to reach an agreement leading to the formation of a government.
The voting process took place in the presence of the Likud-led right-wing political party, and in the presence of Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the previous decision to boycott the plenary session.
Gantz received the support of 74 members, objected 18, while the others abstained from voting, with the number of Knesset members reaching 120.
Thus, Gantz´s face will be a blow to his allies from the center and left bloc, as well as from within his coalition, which led him in three electoral rounds within a year and three months.
Gantz gave his name as a candidate for the presidency of the Knesset, after a semi-final agreement with the Likud Party, to form a unity government between them.
Right-wing Gantz parties voted with the support of some of his party members, Orly Levy, leader of the Bridge Party, and Amir Peretz, leader of the left-wing bloc that includes Labor and Meretz, abstained.
Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya´alon, among blue-white leaders and several other party members, and the Joint Arab List, refused to vote for Gantz.
The move led to the disintegration of a blue-white alliance. Lapid, the leader of a party there, announced that there is a future, and they rise to the leader of the Telem Party, withdrawing from the alliance, amid expectations that they will continue the alliance together.
Both Lapid and Ya´alon will make a press statement later in the day, as they are expected to remain under the name Blue-White, which includes 18 Knesset members, while Gantz will return under the primary name of his "immunity for Israel" party, which includes only 15 seats.
The Israeli public was surprised by Gantz´s move, which came in light of his adherence to his position rejecting the formation of a unity government, his support for the candidacy of Meir Cohen from his party to head the Knesset, and his refusal that Likud Polly Edelstein remain in his position headed by the Knesset.
According to identical Israeli media sources, Gantz´s stay in the Knesset will be temporary, as he will leave the post until Edelstein returns to him again.
According to the same sources, this is part of the agreement to negotiate with Likud, which is taking place to form a unity government.
According to some leaks, Netanyahu will be prime minister of the unity government, with Gantz to be his deputy with full powers as prime minister, and to keep the Foreign Ministry portfolio for himself, while Israel Katz will be finance minister, or Nir Barkat will be in office.
Gabi Ashkenazi of the Gantz alliance will be appointed Minister of the Army, Naftali Bennett returns to the Ministry of Education, while the Ministry of Justice and Economy will be in the hands of the Gantz Party.
Some ministries will remain in the hands of the far-right parties, with Arieh Deri remaining as Minister of the Interior, and Jacob Litzman as Minister of Health.
