Two trends emerged in polls conducted by the two major parties — the Likud and Blue and White — the day after the indictment against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was submitted to the speaker of the Knesset. The first was that Netanyahu being charged with bribery did not make the Likud fall apart. If anything, it got a little stronger. The Blue and White Party under Benny Gantz grew as well. The second point was that the balance of power remained steady. Though there was some movement within the camps, no one seemed to be changing sides.
Gantz knew this when he went to
meet with Netanyahu on the evening of Dec. 3. The specter of elections hung in the air and would not dissipate, even when Yisrael Beitenu's chairman Avigdor Liberman threatened to join a narrow right-wing government. Both Blue and White and the Likud believed that he was simply applying leverage to force a unity government. As far as the Blue and White Party was concerned, it was the last chance to prevent a third election. But if the public will not abandon Netanyahu or give Blue and White a clear victory, what good could another election do? There was a very concrete proposal to allow Netanyahu to serve for half a year more, after which Gantz would become prime minister. As Blue and White's Gabi Ashkenazi said in internal party discussions, it was the kind of deal that merits serious consideration.
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