Quarantined Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz met — albeit at a distance — on Friday to advance negotiations toward a unity government, with both sides saying afterward that significant progress was made.
The meeting was described as a “positive” one during which “understandings were reached,” according to a rare joint statement from their offices. The two party leaders instructed their negotiating teams “to try and bring about a coalition agreement between Blue and White and Likud as soon as possible,” it added.
The joint statement itself was seen as a sign of the progress in the talks.
Asked how the two were able to meet given that Netanyahu was forced into quarantine earlier this week after meeting with Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who was confirmed Wednesday night as a COVID-19 carrier, a spokesman for the premier told The Times of Israel that the sit-down was held in accordance with the Health Ministry’s coronavirus guidelines.
Channel 13 explained that this meant Gantz sat on the patio of the prime minister’s residence and Netanyahu stayed inside. “The conversation featured raised voices,” it reported, but of necessity rather than in anger. READ MORE