2020 Election

"The hard truth is you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America," Pence tells the crowd seated on a lawn at historic Fort McHenry in Baltimore.

Agreement caps a year of political paralysis and three national elections that ended with a hung parliament. Netanyahu to stay on as prime minister for 18 months, and then serve under Gantz as "alternate prime minsiter".

"This is our moment of truth, history will not forgive us if we have cold feet," Blue and White leader says. PM: Come over, let's sign a deal tonight.

The main points of division in unity talks between Likud and Blue and White are Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and the re-appointment of Yuli Edelstein as Knesset Speaker. Meanwhile, Yamina leader Naftali Bennett says his faction could leave the “left-wing government” PM Netanyahu is forming.

Alliance of Habayit Hayehudi, the National Union and New Right parties asserts it "will not be a fig leaf for a left-wing government." MK Ayelet Shaked: 'Opposition' is not a dirty word.

Benny Gantz, Gabi Ashkenazi seeking the defense and foreign ministry portfolios, respectively, while PM Netanyahu faces tough choices about jobs for Likud ministers. Labor MK outraged that party leader Amir Peretz, MK Itzik Shmuli considering joining "indicted Netanyahu's radical Right" coalition.

The two met for eight hours on Saturday and are expected to meet again on Sunday to finalize a coalition deal. Benny Gantz’s Resilience party is expected to receive 12 ministerial portfolios.  

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein refuses to commit to holding a vote over his permanent replacement. “I cannot agree to the ultimatum [presented to me and the Knesset]”, Edelstein said on Twitter, adding that setting the legislature’s agenda was the speaker’s prerogative, not the court’s.

Throughout Israel’s 72-year existence, the Knesset speaker had only been replaced once a new government was sworn in. Thus, replacing Edelstein before a government is formed would represent an unprecedented move, even with a majority vote. Gantz: Israeli democracy will never be taken hostage by small politics.

Netanyahu says will head the government for 18 months, after which Blue and White leader Benny Gantz would take over. "There will be no tricks, no shticks. Millions of citizens are waiting for us to save Israel," PM says, but Gantz accuses him of being insincere.