coalition negotiations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, right. (Flash90)

June 24, 2019, 5:23 pm

Liberman: PM seeking minority coalition with Haredim propped up by Arab parties

Netanyahu grasps that he can’t form right-wing coalition without Yisrael Beytenu and therefore will rely on outside support from non-Zionist factions, former defense minister says

By Jacob Magid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with representatives of the Joint (Arab) List party to discuss enlarging the budgets for Arab towns in Israel, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on August 31, 2015. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

June 23, 2019, 7:46 pm

Likud MK says Netanyahu mulled forming coalition with Arab parties

Miki Zohar says PM ultimately rejected reaching out to Ra’am-Balad and Hadash-Ta’al, as he scrambled to cobble together government; parties deny claim

By Jacob Magid

Israelis gather at the Old City's Damascus gate in Jerusalem on June 2, 2019 to celebrate Jerusalem Day (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP)

June 9, 2019, 1:50 am

Report: Men, women were separated in two state-sponsored Jerusalem Day events

Attorney general’s office has forbidden any gender segregation in officially sanctioned gatherings

By TOI staff

Likud MK Amir Ohana attends a Knesset debate on December 28, 2016. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)

From the WebJune 7, 2019, 12:56 pm

Amir Ohana is gay and right wing. How far can he go in Israel?

Likud’s new justice minister tells Matti Friedman in The New York Times that despite ultra-Orthodox opposition, he is shifting LGBT rights from being only a left-wing issue

Blue and White co-chairman Yair Lapid at the opening session of the new Knesset on April 30, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

June 4, 2019, 6:40 am

Lapid says Netanyahu turning Israel into Iran by agreeing to gender segregation

TV report uncovers draft agreement between Likud and ultra-Orthodox parties to change law barring discriminatory separation between men and women in public

By Jacob Magid and TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hosted by Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman of the United Torah Judaism party (left), at a meal to celebrate the birth of Litzman's grandson, June 18, 2017. (Shlomi Cohen/FLASH90)

June 4, 2019, 12:39 am

In coalition talks, PM accepted Haredi demand for gender segregated public areas

After draft of its understandings with United Torah Judaism on issues of religion and state leaked to press, Likud claims deal was never finalized

By Jacob Magid

US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he departs the White House, in Washington, DC, on June 2, 2019. (Jim WATSON / AFP)

June 3, 2019, 5:39 am

Trump: Israeli politics ‘messed up,’ country needs to ‘get their act together’

US president says he is ‘not happy’ with Netanyahu’s inability to form a government, move to new elections will likely further delay his peace plan

By TOI staff and Agencies

Avi Gabbay, leader of the Labor party, seen during a press conference in Tel Aviv on February 13, 2019. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

June 2, 2019, 10:37 am

After backlash, Gabbay announces vote for Labor party chair, but not slate

Leader says he won’t hold primary for list in upcoming election; move comes after lawmakers urge him to resign following his ‘contemptible’ talks to enter Netanyahu government

By TOI staff

Labor Party leader Avi Gabbay at a discussion on a bill to dissolve the parliament, at the Knesset, in Jerusalem on May 29, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

June 1, 2019, 9:04 pm

Report: In Gabbay deal with PM, Labor would have been expected to back immunity

Officials close to talks contradict Labor leader’s claim Netanyahu’s offer took issue off the table; sources close to Gabbay: Party would have quit coalition if PM were charged

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media at the Knesset in Jerusalem on May 29, 2019, after being forced to disperse parliament and call new elections (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

June 1, 2019, 6:20 pm

Netanyahu’s election gambit keeps him alive, but the crown is slipping

How a desperate PM was reduced to subjecting Israel to a new round of voting, why a second election could produce a different result, and where Liberman hopes this could yet lead

By David Horovitz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turns to speak to Labor party leader Avi Gabbay in the course of the Knesset vote to disperse and hold new elections, late on May 29, 2019 (Ynet screenshot)

May 31, 2019, 10:48 pm

To assuage double-cross fears, Netanyahu let Gabbay film him rejecting Liberman

TV report details desperate lengths to which PM went, in secret talks through Tuesday night, to create a package sweet enough to entice leftist Labor into his right-wing coalition

By TOI staff

May 31, 2019, 11:35 am

Labor leader says party will merge with Meretz or Blue and White before election

After bringing Labor to worst-ever showing in April election, and negotiating with Netanyahu to join coalition, embattled chairman seeks center-left alliance

By TOI staff

Labor party leader MK Avi Gabbay arrives at a meeting with opposition party members, ahead of the Knesset vote on dissolving parliament, at the Knesset, May 27, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

May 30, 2019, 11:23 pm

Labor leader says he considered offer from Netanyahu to save Israeli democracy

PM’s meeting with Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut was sign to Avi Gabbay he was serious in his offer to stop assault on Israeli judiciary

By TOI staff

Shas leader Aryeh Deri during a party faction meeting in the Knesset on May 30, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

May 30, 2019, 8:00 pm

Deri accuses Liberman of anti-Semitism, then claims Russians don’t serve state

Shas chairman says Yisrael Beytenu chief tried to extort Netanyahu with ‘delusional demands’ and used ultra-Orthodox public in bid to oust PM

By Raoul Wootliff

US President Donald Trump talks with reporters before departing on Marine One for the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony, May 30, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

May 30, 2019, 5:08 pm

Trump: Netanyahu’s a ‘great guy,’ it’s too bad what happened in Israel

‘They don’t need this,’ US president laments of PM’s inability to form government, which plunges country into elections that complicate White House peace plan

By TOI staff