Blue and White party chief Benny Gantz says he will not drop his demand for a state budget that runs through 2021 as the impasse over the issue threatens to topple the governing coalition.
Gantz tells Channel 12, “To stabilize the government, a plan is needed for 2020-2021. Not a budget for the holidays or weekend — a budget for a full year.”
“By the way, all the best economists are saying this, and therefore we’re insisting,” Gantz says.
“The prime minister maybe wants elections, Lapid maybe wants elections, but I don’t,” Gantz says, adding, “I won’t back down.”
The interview comes as the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday looks like it will be canceled and speculation ramps up over new elections, which would be the fourth national vote in under two years.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this