Free Republic

The new Blue and White alliance of Benny Gantz’s Israel Resilience party and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid faction would become the largest party in the Knesset if new elections were held today, a new poll shows – but the right-wing – religious bloc would retain a narrow majority. According to the poll, conducted by Maagar Mohot and published by i24NEWS and Israel Hayom Sunday evening, if new elections were held today, the Blue and White party of Gantz and Lapid would win 36 mandates. The Likud, by contrast, would gain a single mandate over its 2015 performance, winning a total...

The agreement, which was struck just two hours before the final deadline for Netanyahu to cobble together a ruling government, paves the way for a narrow, 61-seat coalition. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud faction on Wednesday reached an agreement with the religious Zionist Bayit Yehudi on the formation of a rightist coalition, Israel Radio reported. The agreement, which was struck just two hours before the final deadline for Netanyahu to cobble together a ruling government, paves the way for a narrow, 61-seat coalition. By law, if Netanyahu failed to form a government by midnight on Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to warn the heads of the parties in his coalition that unless they compromise on issues of religion and state, the coalition will fall apart and new elections will be held, Channel 2 News reports. According to the report, Netanyahu plans to relay this message in a meeting with the heads of the coalition parties that will be held on Wednesday. The latest crisis in the coalition is centered around Netanyahu’s sudden decision to drop his support for the Conversion Bill, which was introduced by Hatnua. Monday’s decision is being perceived as Netanyahu’s way of...

Binyamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman announced Thursday evening in a joint news conference that they would join forces in a unified party. Netanyahu explained that Israel would be better off with a strong coalition that leans on a strong party. "We ask the public for a clear mandate to carry out the social and economic changes that the nation of Israel expects, and justifiably so," he said. "There is a lot that needs to be done," Netanyahu added. "First and foremost – bring down the cost of living. This is the time to project strength in the face of our...

National Union Chairman MK Yaakov Katz announced Thursday that he intends to bring the Outposts Law that he co-authored to a vote in the Knesset plenum Monday. The move will be coordinated with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin. The law was sponsored by Katz along with MKs Yariv Levin and Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) and David Rotem (Yisrael Beitenu). Earlier Thursday, MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home) said that he has decided to place his own version of the bill up for a vote next week, in order to forestall the planned demolition of the Givat HaUlpana neighborhood in Beit El, and to...