Blue and White No. 2 Yair Lapid discussed the possibility of forming a minority government with support from the Joint Arab List on Tuesday, saying, "The Joint List will vote once from outside … and that's where it will end."
In a post on his own Facebook page, Lapid explained: "There are two tough possibilities, and one is not a possibility. The best possibility is the one Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is rejecting outright – a national unity government. That's what we've always wanted, and that's what we'd be happy to do today. Unity with a rotation [for prime minister]."
In the Israeli parliamentary system, a government can be formed only if it gets the approval of the Knesset through a confidence vote.
The March 2 election ended in a hung parliament, with neither the Right or the Left getting enough seats to form a government on its own.
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Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has pursued a controversial path to overcome this obstacle, by suggesting that he ask the Knesset to vote on a minority government. But this would require the Arab parties to support the measure.
The move has generated widespread criticism from Gantz's own party, and from the Right. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Gantz would have no legitimacy to be prime minister if he got the job thanks to non-Zionist entities like the Arab parties.
In his post on Tuesday, Lapid said that an alternative path would be some sort of power-sharing agreement that would take into account Netanyahu's upcoming trial, which Blue and White says disqualifies Netanyahu from holding office.
"Benny Gantz will go first because Netanyahu will be in court. A good, broad, national government. But no one is listening," Lapid wrote.
"We've looked into it a thousand times. Bibi rejected it. he's only interested in his three indictments. He doesn't want a unity government because he knows that [if one is established] he won't be able to pass the French law, or some other immunity law, or the laws that destroy the Supreme Court. That's why he is sticking to his bloc. That's why he is pushing for a fourth election, to try and secure a coalition that will save him from prison," the post continued.
Lapid went on to explain the options for Blue and White.
"If there is no one with whom to set up a unity government, what's left? Only two options. One is bad, the other is a disaster: Establish a narrow government with Yisrael Beytenu and Labor and leave the door open for a unity government. Despite all the lies Bibi is spreading, the Joint Arab List would not be part of that government." He stated.
Lapid explained that the Joint Arab List would vote in favor of a narrow government without being part of it.
"Bibi has cooperated with them like this a thousand times. I admit it's not the government we wanted. On the other hand, it's a lot better than the current standstill. A government like that could make a budget, the ministries would go back to work, and the Knesset committees would resume. We'd take care of small businesses, and avoid mass layoffs." Lapid wrote.
According to Lapid, the other option would be for Israel to hold a fourth general election in the span of a year and half, "as Bibi wants."
Lapid said the scenario of a fourth election would be "as bad as it sounds."
"Another election, more hatred, more incitement, more violence, another billion shekels wasted. A whole country throwing itself off a cliff because of one person. This is the choice we're facing," he wrote, adding, "What should we do? What is best for Israel."
Later Tuesday, Blue and White MKs Ofer Shelah and Avi Nissankoren were due to meet with members of the Joint Arab List. On Monday, Joint Arab List leader MK Ahmad Tibi said in response to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz reaching out to the heads of the parties that make up the list – with the exception of Balad: "We are united and will not allow ourselves to be split."
However, Tibi noted that Blue and White had asked for a meeting with representatives of all the Joint Arab List parties to discuss whom the parties would back to form a government, as well as other issues.
