Netanyahu expresses ‘disappointment’ over Blue and White head’s refusal to meet

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expresses “disappointment” over what he claims is Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz’s refusal to meet with him.

The statement from the premier was issued moments after Gantz asserted that he will be the one forming and leading a unity government and rejected Netanyahu’s offer for the centrist alliance to join a coalition headed by Likud.

“I was surprised and disappointed that as of now, Benny Gantz still refuses to respond to my call to meet. The president called for a unity government, but without a meeting between the two major party leaders, it is impossible to form a unity government,” Netanyahu says in a statement.

“The State of Israel needs as broad a unity government as possible — not another election and certainly not a government that relies on anti-Zionist parties,” he adds ostensibly referring to the Joint List.

The latest tally showed Blue and White leading Likud 33-31 in the seat count. Gantz has expressed interest in forming a coalition with Likud, but has called for a “liberal unity government” — one that the Haredi parties and Yamina would likely have a hard time joining.

But earlier today, Netanyahu convinced the leaders of all three religious parties to sign a document in which they agreed to enter coalition negotiations as one bloc led by Netanyahu.