Blue and White, Likud negotiations teams meet ahead of Gantz-Netanyahu talks

The negotiating teams from the Blue and White and Likud parties hold talks this afternoon ahead of the meeting between their respective party leaders Benny Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blue and White is being represented by Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Shlomo, while Tourism Minister Yariv Levin and Michael Rabello were sent on behalf of Likud.

At the start of the meeting, Levin clarifies he is representing a bloc of 55 MKs that includes Likud and its religious allies, a condition previously rejected by Blue and White.

He also says a unity government must be based on a proposal floated by President Reuven Rivlin, that would apparently see Netanyahu take a leave of absence at some point if he is indicted in a series of graft probes while retaining the title and privileges of prime minister, with Gantz then receiving all the authority of premier.

Levin says he’ll raise two issues at the beginning of the meeting, which he calls the “basis” for any negotiations.

“To finally receive an answer whether Blue and White accepts the president’s proposal,” he says. “The second question is whether the negotiations taking place here are indeed true negotiations or if they are a cover and an act, when the negotiations are in fact taking place elsewhere — with Ayman Odeh and the Joint List to form a minority government.”

Likud has claimed repeatedly in recent weeks that Gantz is looking to assemble a minority government that is propped up by outside support from the Joint List of four majority-Arab parties. Blue and White has not publicly stated it is seeking to do so.

החלה פגישתם של צוותי המשא ומתן של הליכוד וכחול לבן. מטעם כחול לבן ד"ר יורם טורבוביץ ושלום שלמה ומטעם הליכוד שר התיירות יריב לוין ועו"ד מיכאל ראבילו @akivanovick pic.twitter.com/swaDrNpklj

— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) October 27, 2019