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Israel faces the prospect of a U.S.-backed “color revolution” in the middle of its war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza as the opposition backs street protests against government, and a key cabinet minister has demanded new elections. A “color revolution” is a coup d’état accomplished through mass protests targeting the existing government, elected or not, with the assistance of the media — and, usually, with backing from foreign powers, including the United States. For the six months since the October 7 terror attack, Israel had seen remarkable unity, with protests — mostly centered in Tel Aviv — against Israeli Prime...

UPDATE AT 5:30PM: About an hour after ALL ISRAEL NEWS was the first media outlet to break the story, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz issued an official statement confirming that they have agreed to form an emergency national unity government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz agreed on Wednesday to form an emergency unity government as the fighting with Hamas in Gaza continued for a fifth day. Why it matters: The fact that Gantz, a member of the opposition, is joining the government underscores how big the crisis in Israel is as a result of the deadly Hamas attack. As a former defense minister, Gantz's role in the new unity government will significantly strengthen the security experience around the decision-making table. Gantz has for months been gaining more favorability than Netanyahu in the polls, mainly...

Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas during their recent meeting that he wants to be “the new Rabin”, Channel 12 News reported on Friday. According to the report, PA cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh relayed details of the meeting between Gantz and Abbas in a recent meeting with Arab Israeli activists and journalists. Gantz told Abbas, according to Shtayyeh, “I believe in the two-state solution and believe is the appropriate solution. I want to be the new Rabin, but this government has limitations.” Abbas, for his part, told Gantz that “if the current [Israeli] government does...

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) spoke Tuesday morning with US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who congratulated him on his continued term as Defense Minister within Israel’s new government. In a statement, Israel's Defense Ministry said that "the two continued the discussion begun in Washington concerning the imperative to strengthen and fortify Israel’s security vis-v-vis external challenges." "They further discussed the continued need to halt Iranian nuclear plans as well as the current opportunities to advance regional peace and expand normalization agreements. "Gantz thanked the Defense Secretary for his and the administration’s support of Israel and...

Minister Gantz to Journalists from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE: “We have the strategic tools to face Iran. We are stronger than them. Our collaborations give us new strategies and options, and the Iranians understand that too; The best strategy for regional stability is peace" In a teleconference earlier this evening organized by the Arab Council for Regional Integration, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz joined journalists from outlets in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain, including Al-Roeya, Al-Ayam, Alarabiya, amongst others, for a first-ever conversation between an Israeli defense minister and journalists from the Gulf states. Asked about the basis...

The Israeli government Thursday night weighed alternate plans for imposing nationwide lockdowns, along with a series of other restrictions on public activity. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during the cabinet meeting that it was imperative for the government to take steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus, warning that the number of patients in serious condition was liable to surge dramatically. “We will have 1,600 patients in serious condition within three weeks if we don’t have new restrictions,” the Prime Minister said. “If we don’t flatten the curve, it will mean many Israelis being in danger. We need to...

Americans, and indeed all people of goodwill, should be pleased to see that Israel finally has broken its 15-month political impasse. Amidst a global pandemic, jihadists might have misinterpreted instability in Israel as providing them with a chance to spark a conflagration without fearing effective repercussions from a stricken and distracted Western world. But now that three-time challenger Bennie Gantz has agreed to let Benjamin Netanyahu continue for 18 months as prime minister in a “unity government,” there will be no doubt that Israel itself can act against any aggression with solidarity and dispatch. Gantz and some but not all...

Israel appeared to be barreling toward a constitutional crisis Thursday as opponents took to the streets and turned to the Supreme Court to fight a series of unprecedented steps taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while confronting the coronavirus pandemic. In recent days, Netanyahu and his surrogates have shut down the court system, approved the use of sophisticated phone-surveillance technology on the general public and temporarily suspended the activities of parliament. While Netanyahu has defended the moves as extraordinary steps in extraordinary times, his opponents accuse him of undermining Israel’s democratic foundations in a desperate bid to cement his grip...

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke with Fox News' Mark Levin about the "deal of the century" and how it might be implemented following the March election. In the interview, Netanyahu explained that the rival center-left "Blue and White" party, led by MK Benny Gantz, is "a leftist party in disguise." "Remember, the majority of Israelis are basically right and center-right. So in order to get center-right voters, they pretend to be a center-right party and that they will take up the terrific Trump plan that has been put forward by [US] President [Donald] Trump that's very good for Israel,...

amina Chairman Defense Minister Naftali Bennett read today at the Knesset plenum embarrassing and confused quotations by Blue and White leaders from cabinet hearing minutes during Operation Protective Edge. Among other things, the words of Benny Gantz and Moshe (Boogie) Ya'alon, who served as IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister respectively, were cited from the State Comptroller's report. Bennett cited in this connection statements by Defense Minister Ya'alon at the time, calling for no action against the Gaza Islamic attack tunnels while cautioning against "miscalculation". Bennett also quoted a statement by Gantz that he called unintelligible: "Gaza has an...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the US to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss the "Deal of the Century." US President Donald Trump’s peace plan will advance Israel’s interests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before boarding a plane to Washington D.C. on Sunday to meet with the American president. “I am going to Washington to face an American president that is bringing forward a plan that I believe will advance our most vital interests,” Netanyahu said.

MainAll NewsInside Israel'No unity government with Netanyahu' 'No unity government with Netanyahu' Senior Blue and White official says party has 'no faith in Netanyahu, not even for a single day.' Arutz Sheva Staff, 27/11/19 12:32 Share Netanyahu and Gantz Netanyahu and GantzREUTERS Senior Blue and White officials told Israel Hayom that their party is no longer willing to form a unity government with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "Blue and White's leadership has no faith in Netanyahu - not even for a single day," a senior Blue and White official told Israel Hayom. "You can't trust him and do business...

Sephardic Kabbalist (mystic) Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri could have predicted the political unrest surrounding recent struggles by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, according to a report by the Hebrew daily Israel Hayom on Sunday. Information alluding to Kaduri's predictions spread throughout social media and on the messaging application Whatsapp in recent days, as well. Kaduri reportedly wrote in And He Swore to Isaac, a "hidden book" that was recently found in the Kabbalistic school of Nahalat Yitzhak, that "On the eve of the year 5780 (the upcoming Hebrew year), the year of corrections, there will...

Video Blue and White leader Benny Gantz returned the mandate to form the government to President Reuven Rivlin Wednesday evening, signalling the end of his attempts to form a coalition. Both Gantz and incumbent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have failed to form a government more than two months after the last elections. Members of the Knesset will now have the opportunity to recommend a candidate for prime minister over the next three weeks, However, a third round of elections appears likely. "Gantz told the president that he is also committed in the remaining 21 days to continue to make every...

It looks like Israel will be heading to a third election. It seems both sides, Netanyahu’s right and Gantz’s left-center cannot get the 61 votes needed to get a majority in the Knesset. There is one villain in this, and one victor.The reason Netanyahu could not get a victory is that Avigdor Lieberman refuses to throw his weight behind a Netanyahu coalition, unless the special privileges tendered to the religious right are done away with. For years, the religious right have wrested a lot of concessions from the Israeli state, such as draft exemptions and control of marriage. Secular...

Despite efforts by Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, to convince Israel’s two largest parties – Likud and Blue & White – to forge a national unity government, the prospect of that desired outcome appears more distant. At Rivlin’s urging, the Likud’s Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu and Blue & White’s Benny Gantz met earlier this week for two hours to see if differences between them could be bridged but the parties appear to be no closer to bridging their gaps. Given the impasse, Rivlin just announced that he’s giving Netanyahu first crack at forming a coalition since Bibi received 55 parliamentary recommendations to...

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will tap Likud Chair and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the task of forming a ruling coalition, after meeting Wednesday evening with Netanyahu and his main challenger, Blue and White Chair Benny Gantz. The announcement comes after Rivlin received the official election results earlier Wednesday and as he encourages Gantz and Netanyahu to form a unity government.

The statement was given after an impromptu meeting with Liberman ahead of Rivlin-brokered talks with Netanyahu Blue & White leader Benny Gantz may be ready to concede his party's position against joining a government with incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he faces possible indictment in a number of corruption cases. "We'll see what happens," Gantz told i24NEWS when asked if he would form a unity government with incumbent Prime Minister Netanyahu ahead of their meeting with President Reuven Rivlin Tuesday night. The statement was given following an unannounced meeting between Gantz and Yisrael Beitenu's Avigdor Liberman in Jaffa. Meanwhile,...

Earlier on Monday, Israeli-Arab lawmakers recommended that former army chief Mr Gantz should become prime minister. The Joint List, a bloc of Arab parties that came third in the election, said it wanted to remove Mr Netanyahu from power. It was the first time since 1992 that an Arab political group has issued an endorsement for an Israeli prime minister. Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint List, told President Rivlin that his alliance's priority was to prevent Mr Netanyahu from serving another term. The Joint List won 13 seats in the election. If Mr Gantz had the endorsement of all...