The Blue and White Party announced on Thursday that it would waive its demand that its leaders to share a rotating premiership and instead focus on a power-sharing deal with Likud.
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz called on Netanyahu on Thursday to accept the new reality and temporarily give up his power. “I don’t want to see you behind bars,” said Gantz. “I hope you are innocent, but we need a prime minister.”
Blue and White reiterated its demand that under a unity government with Likud, Gantz would serve as prime minister for the first half of the term, while Netanyahu resolves the three legal cases he faces. Under the proposal, Netanyahu would be able to return to the premiership if acquitted.
Blue and White co-chair Yair Lapid, who joined the center-left alliance on the strength of a promise that he would serve as prime minister for part of the term if the party rose to power, announced shortly after Gantz’s statement that he was would longer insist on this, “for the sake of the country.”
Earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu and Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman met as part of a last-ditch effort to form a broad unity government, but to no avail.
This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.
