Likud, Blue and White release coalition agreement

The Likud and Blue and White parties release the coalition agreement signed between them to form an “emergency national government.”

The two parties say the agreement was reached “in light of the state of emergency in the country and in light of the medical, economic and social challenges facing the State of Israel.”

The government is set to also include Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Labor, with Yamina possibly to join at a later stage.

According to the a summary of the agreement put out by both parties:

— The government and the security cabinet will have equal representation from the right-wing religious bloc and the center-left bloc.

— There will be 36 ministers in total and 16 deputy ministers.

— The “coronavirus cabinet” will be set up under the joint leadership of Netanyahu and Gantz, who will coordinate the treatment of the pandemic with the participation of relevant ministers and professionals.

— With the inauguration of the government, Prime Minister Netanyahu will be sworn in as incumbent prime minister and Blue and White chairman, Benny Gantz as the designated prime minister to begin in October 2021

— If any of the parties dissolves the Knesset or does not vote for the state budget, the prime minister of the second party will take office, and only half a year later, elections will take place.

— The government will be sworn in after a legislative process is completed that will regulate the prime minister’s status and the existence of the rotation agreement.

— Upon the establishment of the government, it will be defined as a “national emergency government” for a period of six months, and no legislation unrelated to the battle against the coronavirus will be adopted without consent of both sides. At the same time, a negotiating team will be set up to discuss the unity government that will be established upon the end of the coronavirus struggle. However, Netanyahu will be allowed to bring to the government and the Knesset from July a vote on Trump’s declaration of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

— The finance, health, public security, housing and construction, transport and education portfolios will go to the Likud and its partners while the defense, foreign, justice, media, cultural and economic ministries will be controlled by Blue and White and its partners.

— Raoul Wootliff