Gantz calls to advance bills that lack coalition support

Defense Minister Benny Gantz orders his Blue and White party to prepare a number of contentious legislative proposals that do not have coalition backing, a move that could bring down the government amid growing talk of possible early elections.

The Blue and White announcement says Gantz instructed the party to advance three bills: “The Basic Law: Equality,” which Gantz says “aimed to enshrine the right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination”; “The surrogacy law” which would “evenly expand the circle of those entitled to surrogacy, expand the circle of women who can serve as surrogates and regulate the possibility of surrogacy outside Israel”; and “The Basic Law: The Declaration of Independence,” which would require judges to “interpret all Israeli legislation, including other Basic Laws, in light of the Declaration of Independence as a constitutional document.”

Bringing the proposals to the Knesset without specific agreement from Likud violates a clause in the coalition agreement between the parties, but seems designed to force Prime Minister Netanyahu to show his hand.

On Thursday, Netanyahu blamed his coalition partner for the apparently looming elections. “When agreements are not respected on the part of Blue and White, there is no doubt that we are on the way to elections,” he said.

— Raoul Wootliff