Israel Heads to Fourth Vote in Two Years Over Budget Crisis Bloomberg 12/23/2020 Amy Teibel and Ivan Levingston
(Bloomberg) Israel’s brittle governing coalition collapsed after just seven months, sending the election-fatigued country to its fourth vote in two years.
The campaign will feature a new challenger who might win enough support to dethrone the long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, polls suggest. The ballot is to take place on March 23 after parliament failed to approve a national budget for the second year in a row.
The grudging alliance between Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz had been formed expressly to avoid another vote after three inconclusive matchups, and to combine forces to contain the coronavirus outbreak. A fourth race, after long months of policy paralysis, will be especially bruising as the virus defies efforts to tame it, talk of a third national lockdown is percolating, and unemployment is a steep 15%.
Haviv Rettig Gur is The Times of Israel s senior analyst.
Israelis wearing masks of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz at a protest in Tel Aviv on December 2, 2020. (Jack Guez/AFP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister (better known simply as defense minister) Benny Gantz reached a compromise of sorts on Sunday night, that could potentially stave off early elections.
But the Likud and Blue and White party leaders remain far from any agreement on the substantial matters at the heart of their dispute. Even worse, the interim agreement shines a harsh light on how the government has made politicking hostage to policy.
PM Netanyahu receiving the Corona vaccination on national TV, Dec. 19, 2020.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after receiving the first anti-coronavirus vaccine in Israel on Saturday night: “I feel great; go get vaccinated. We are emerging from the darkness of the coronavirus into a great light. I want to again thank the Health Minister, the Ministry of Health, all of the medical crews, MDA, the volunteers, everybody.”
Israel’s three leading Hebrew-language news channels â 11, 12, and 13 â broadcast the vaccination live. Clips of that video were shown overnight on CNN, Fox News, France 24, Sky, Chinese TV News in English, and probably hundreds more. Sky was the only major channel to express some skepticism at the PM’s motives in rolling up his sleeve, everyone else recognized that, glamour and politics aside, around a third of the global population are hesitating to accept the vaccine, which could damage the effort to build herd immunity that requires 75% pa
Netanyahu to quarantine for the 3rd time arabherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from arabherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Netanyahu to quarantine for the 3rd time without being contracted COVID-19 ANI | Updated: Dec 15, 2020 13:35 IST
Tel Aviv [Israel], December 15 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be self-isolating himself for the third time without being tested positive for COVID-19. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must enter quarantine after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, announced his spokeswoman on Monday.
Netanyahu tested negative for coronavirus in tests taken on Sunday and Monday, but he will have to remain in isolation for five days, reported Jerusalem Post.
He came into contact with Likud Court President Michael Kleiner last Tuesday, and Kleiner had tested positive for coronavirus last Monday.