In a video uploaded to Facebook Wednesday, Joint Arab List leader Ayman Odeh said that Blue and White member Ofer Shelah had contacted him and asked that not all the Arab parties recommend that Blue and White leader Benny Gantz be tapped to form the next government.
The purpose of the request, Odeh said, was to ensure that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was given the first chance to form a government.
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In fact, after the Joint Arab List originally voted to recommend Gantz, Balad pulled its support overnight on Sunday.
"I must clarify a very important point," Odeh said in the 40-minute video.
"Listen, my brothers and sisters – the thing is that Gantz and Blue and White prefer that Netanyahu be given the first mandate [to form a government]. And I am here to reveal what has been kept secret for a few days."
"Blue and White approached me. MK Ofer Shelah came to me and said, 10 [recommendations] is enough. He said, 'don't give us 13.' Why 10, and not 13? So that a total of 54 MKs would recommend Gantz compared to 55 for Netanyahu, thereby giving Netanyahu the first go."
"Why? So that Netanyahu will fail to form a government, and the mandate will then be given to Blue and White. The parties won't want to hold a third election, the public won't want an election and will start to get impatient. At that point, Gantz will be able to form a government," Odeh said.
Odeh also said in the video that an agreement was in place that Blue and White would work to cancel a law that institutes harsher punishments for unpermitted construction.
An associate of Gantz told Israel Hayom, "It's nothing new that Shelah makes moves to take care of Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid. Of course, we're uncomfortable this morning – there are no underhand maneuvers in Blue and White, and it's too bad this incident makes it look like there are."
