Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main political rival, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, spoke by phone late Thursday night amid earlier mutual calls to form an emergency unity government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister told Gantz that now was the time for bold leadership in light of the spread of the virus in Israel and abroad. Netanyahu invited Gantz to meet immediately with the purpose of creating a national emergency government.
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Netanyahu also emphasized that the Joint Arab List will not be invited into such a government – not in normal times nor in an emergency.
"The prime minister is waiting for Gantz's positive response," an official in Netanyahu's Likud party said.
Earlier Thursday, Netanyahu made the offer for an emergency government in a nationally televised address, saying the virus does "not differentiate" between Jews and non-Jews or between the political left and right.
"I call for the formation now, even this evening, of a national emergency government," he said.
"It will be an emergency government for a limited period. Together, we will fight to save the lives of citizens," he added, saying that politics should be put aside.
Gantz said he was willing to discuss the possibility of a national unity government and that his party will do "everything in our power to see it move forward."
The conciliatory language marked a sharp change after months of acrimonious campaigning and heightened rhetoric in the wake of another inconclusive election earlier this month.
Israel has been relatively insulated from the coronavirus scare, with just over 100 cases diagnosed so far. But the numbers have begun to creep upward in recent days.
Israel has imposed a number of tough restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, placing tens of thousands of people into protective home quarantine, ordering all Israelis who return from overseas into quarantine and barring almost all tourists from entering the country.
Netanyahu announced that schools and universities would be closed through the end of the Passover holiday in mid-April, with the exception of preschools, boarding schools and special education facilities.
Israel's Health Ministry has barred all gatherings of more than 100 people.
Gantz has previously ruled out a partnership with Netanyahu, citing the prime minister's upcoming trial on corruption charges, which is set to begin next week.
Netanyahu has insisted that he lead any unity government.
Citing the urgent health crisis, Gantz appeared to be open to compromise with Netanyahu.
"Given the circumstances, we are willing to discuss the possibility of establishing a broad national unity government, reflective of the entire Israeli public," he said in a statement late Thursday.
"We will do everything in our power to see it move forward for the sake of the state of Israel and its citizens."
On Thursday Defense Minister Naftali Bennett also called for the country's two largest parties to put aside their differences and form a unity government in order to tackle the growing epidemic.
Bennett, head of the Yamina faction, said that the current health crisis spreading across the world demands a swift response by a responsible government, one headed by Netanyahu.
"Israeli citizens, this is an emergency situation," Bennett said in a statement released Thursday evening. "And at such an hour, an emergency government headed by Netanyahu is needed."
The defense minister suggested that the Knesset "pass a law that will freeze the entire political process for six months," after which the parties will return "exactly back to where we were and continue to negotiate."
On Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin urged the opposing blocs to find a way to come together.
After speaking with the Blue and White leader on Thursday night, he tweeted: "I reiterated to [Gantz] my support for the formation of a government to confront the national crisis as soon as possible. I made it clear that my home [the President's Residence] is open for the sides to advance discussions, parallel to the regular democratic process of holding consultations with all the factions, which are expected to begin early next week."
