Druze MK becomes first Gantz ally to rebel

Benny Gantz faced his first rebellion from among the MKs inside his Israel Resilience Party on Friday, when Gadeer Mreeh announced that she would not join a coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mocking a statement Gantz had made about the test of leadership, she wrote: 'A leader does not betray his principles and his voters. I came to politics to replace the racist, divisive government that passed the Nation-State Law and not to join it!' She vowed that she 'will not sit for a day under the corrupt [prime minister.]' Other dovish MKs in Blue and White wrote on social media on Friday that they would enter the coalition, because of the coronavirus. Gantz revealed on Friday that his former colleagues in Blue and White, MKs Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya'alon, had decided to prefer a fourth election over joining a Netanyahu-led government. In a speech to a faction meeting held on zoom that was posted to his Facebook page, Gantz said that he was more satisfied then ever with his decision to form a unity government, because he did what was necessary for the nation as it fights the coronavirus. 'In days like these, leaders must choose what is right and leave their fighting and their personal accounts aside,' Gantz said. 'We got to a point where some of my colleagues preferred to go to elections instead of compromising. [MK] Gabi [Ashkenazi] and I decided that we will not drag Israel to elections at a time of emergency that will last a long time and have long-term ramifications.' Gantz said his door would remain open in case Lapid, Ya'alon and the rest of Yesh Atid and Telem wanted to return. But he added criticism of their decision. 'Those who are pushing families who lost their livelihood and fear their fate and their health to go out and vote again should admit it loud and clear,' Gantz said. Activists from Lapid's Yesh Atid party protested outside Gantz's home in Rosh Ha'ayin on Friday. They waved black Blue and White flags and played a song on a loudpeaker called 'Benny, Benny, the bad boy.' Lapid criticized Gantz, Ashkenazi and Resilience Party MKs on his Facebook page, writing that he still had no idea why they decided to join a Netanyahu-led government. 'It is certainly not because of the coronavirus,' Lapid wrote. 'None of them even bothered asking for the Health portfolio.'

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