Blue and White (political alliance) explained

Blue and White
Leader:Benny Gantz
Position:Centre[1] [2]
Affiliation1 Title:Member parties
Affiliation1:Israel Resilience
Yesh Atid (2019–2020)
Telem (2019–2020)
Headquarters:Tel Aviv
Colours: Blue
Dark blue
White
Seats1 Title:Most MKs
Symbol: (2019–2020)
(2019–2020)
(2021–)
(2021–)

[3]
Slogan:Benny. Choosing Honesty. (2021)
Country:Israel

Blue and White (Hebrew: כָּחוֹל לָבָן Kaḥol Lavan) was a centrist[4] and liberal Zionist[5] [6] political alliance in Israel. It was established by the Israel Resilience Party, Yesh Atid and Telem to run in the April 2019 Knesset election,[7] in hopes of defeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blue and White defines itself as a pluralistic alliance representing all citizens on the political and religious spectrums.[8] The phrase "blue and white" refers to the colors of the Israeli flag, and is colloquially used to describe something as being typically Israeli.[9]

Following the March 2020 elections, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz was tasked with forming a new government after receiving endorsements from a majority of 61 MKs.[10] Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Gantz instead opted to put himself forward as interim Speaker of the Knesset while continuing negotiations to form a coalition government with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and other parties.

The effect was a break-up of the Blue and White alliance.[11] The alliance split on 29 March 2020, with the Israel Resilience Party keeping the name Blue and White. Yesh Atid and Telem left the alliance and formed a separate faction in the Knesset.[12] On 20 April, a coalition deal was signed with Likud, in which Netanyahu would serve first as prime minister, and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz would serve as prime minister starting October 2021, as well as giving the party ministerial portfolios such as defense ministers and foreign minister.[13] However, this deal was never realized, because the Knesset collapsed in December 2020 after a major budget dispute, triggering new elections in March 2021. In the 2021 legislative election, Blue and White won eight seats and joined the government.[14] After that coalition collapsed the following year, the party formed an alliance with the Gideon Sa'ar-led New Hope called National Unity, which was led by Gantz. The alliance won 12 seats.

History

On 21 February 2019, the last day for submitting election lists for the Knesset, Yesh Atid and Israel Resilience announced that they would form an alliance for the upcoming election. Gabi Ashkenazi, also a former chief of staff, would join the list in the fourth spot.[15]

Blue and White won 35 seats in the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, the same as Likud, and conceded defeat.[16] President Reuven Rivlin tasked Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a governing coalition,[17] but failed. This triggered the September 2019 Israeli legislative election.[18]

In the 2020 Israeli legislative election, Blue and White won 33 seats, placing it second after Likud which had 36. The alliance showing strong support in many areas,including Tel Aviv and Haifa.[19] On 8 March 2020, Avigdor Lieberman gave Gantz his backing to form a new government.[20] The next day, the Joint List agreed to work with Gantz and Lieberman to oust Netanyahu.[21] As of 10 March 2020, it remained unclear whether Gantz would be able to gain sufficient MK votes to form a government,[22] as Labor-Gesher-Meretz MK Orly Levy announced she would not support a minority government and left the Labor-Meretz alliance. Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel (both Blue and White MKs) had also previously made known that they would not support a government with the Joint List's support.[23] An aide also stated that Gantz plans to form a government by 23 March.[24] Lieberman and Labor party leader Amir Peretz also reaffirmed on 11 March that an alliance with the Joint List would not change their position on forming a political alliance with Gantz.[25] On 15 March 2020, 61 of the 120 MKs told Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that they would back Gantz as Israeli Prime Minister, which resulted in Rivlin announcing that he had asked Gantz to form the new government.[10] On 26 March, one day after Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein resigned, Gantz instead agreed to become Speaker of the Knesset. The fact that right-wingers in Likud Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition agreed to support Gantz's bid to become Speaker put the future of the Blue and White alliance in jeopardy.[26] [11] The same day, MKs elected Gantz as the new Speaker of the Knesset by a margin of 74–18, with Yesh Atid, Labor and Yisrael Beytenu MKs boycotting the vote.[11] [27]

However, Lapid's Yesh Atid and Ya'alon's Telem asked to split from the Israel Resilience Party, and requested that the two parties keep the name Blue and White as the name of their recreated political party.[28] On 27 March 2020, it was revealed that a major obstacle to a potential long-term alliance between Gantz and Netanyahu emerged with regards to implementing U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan. Barak Ravid of Israel's Channel 13 news revealed that Gantz, despite previously claiming that he wanted to implement this peace plan, still wanted to hold peace talks with the Palestinians, which Trump and Netanyahu still opposed. Ravid stated that this would likely make the upcoming deal between Gantz and Netanyahu short-lived. As part of the proposed coalition deal between Netanyahu and Gantz, Gantz would replace Netanyahu as Prime Minister of Israel in 18 months.[29] Subsequently, after long negotiations a compromise deal was reached over the peace plan.[30]

On 6 April 2020, Amir Peretz, leader of the Israeli Labor Party, announced that his party might be merging with Blue and White.[31]

On 20 April 2020, the coalition deal was officially signed, with Blue and White having an equal number of ministers as the Right.[32] Blue and White received the Justice, Economy, Labor and Welfare, Communications, Agriculture, Culture and Sports, Absorption, Tourism, Minorities, Diaspora, Science and Space, Strategic Affairs, and Social Affairs ministries. The positions of foreign minister, energy minister and environmental protection minister will rotate upon the change of prime minister.[33] The terms of the agreement also provide that Gantz serve as defense minister when the new government is sworn in.[34]

On 30 April, the bill approving the new coalition government was given its first approval in Knesset.[35] On 6 May, the coalition agreement was approved by the Israeli Supreme Court.[36] The same day, both Blue and White and Likud issued a joint statement claiming that the new unity government would be sworn in the following week.[37] On 7 May, the bill approving the new government became law after it was given its final approval in Knesset.[38] The new Israeli government, consisting of many Blue and White and Likud coalition members, was sworn in on 17 May 2020.[39]

On 10 July 2022, Gantz and Gideon Sa'ar agreed to sign a joint faction agreement,[40] under the overall name Blue and White The New Hope.[41] The following month, the alliance was joined by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot and former Yamina MK Matan Kahana and was renamed National Unity.[42]

Former composition

Blue and White consisted of one political party, Israel Resilience, which holds eight seats in the Knesset. Yesh Atid and Telem were previously part of an alliance with Israel Resilience. While not being formally part of it, the Israeli Labor Party and Derekh Eretz worked with the alliance on a parliamentary basis during the term of the twenty-third Knesset. On 10 July 2022, Blue and White signed a joint ticket agreement with New Hope, for the upcoming legislative election.[43] The ticket was named Blue and White-New Hope, with Gantz as its prime ministerial candidate.[41]

NameIdeologyPositionLeader
Israel ResilienceZionismCentre to centre-rightBenny Gantz
Yesh AtidLiberal Zionism
Secularism		CentreYair Lapid
TelemLiberal Zionism
National liberalism		Centre to centre-rightMoshe Ya'alon

Israel Resilience Party

On 16 February 2015, Benny Gantz completed his term as Chief of Staff and began a three-year legal moratorium in which he could not run for the Knesset. This ended on 2 July 2018.[44] In September 2018, it was reported that Gantz planned to enter politics.[45] On 26 December 2018, the 20th Knesset voted to dissolve itself and hold early elections. A day later, on 27 December, after 109 people signed a list of founders, the party was officially registered with the name Israel Resilience Party.[46]

Telem

In May 2016, "amidst wide-spread speculation that he would be fired by Netanyahu", Moshe Ya'alon resigned from his defense minister post. On 12 March 2017, Ya'alon officially relinquished his membership of Likud, announcing that he would form a new party to challenge Netanyahu in the next election.[47] Ya'alon registered Telem on 2 January 2019.[48] Telem announced an alliance with Israel Resilience on 29 January 2019.[49]

Yesh Atid

Yesh Atid was founded by Yair Lapid in 2012, running on a platform representing the centre of Israeli society.[50] In 2013, it placed second in the general election, winning 19 seats.[51] It then entered into a coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. In the lead-up to the 2015 election, Lapid's campaign continued to emphasize economic issues, while heavily criticizing Netanyahu and his Likud party.[52] [53] Receiving 11 seats, they placed fourth and sat in the opposition.[54]

Platform and positions

On 25 February 2019, Lapid stated that the alliance wished to amend the Nation-State Bill, intending to add a civil equality article.[55] Blue and White's manifesto was released on 6 March 2019. The document reveals positions on several policy areas, key among them a commitment to engage with peace-minded Arab neighbors and a willingness to enter into negotiations with the Palestinians, albeit without land concessions.[56]

Since the split and Gantz joining Netanyahu, many of the policies listed below have been abandoned by Blue and White.

Policies included limiting the prime minister to eight years or three terms and preventing anyone convicted of a serious crime from being a public official.[57] The alliance stated that they would return money previously taken by political parties in behind-the-scene deals and using it to reduce the cost of health care, education, and living.[58] A diplomatic initiative for peace with the Palestinians was put forward.[59] The alliance also supported the right of citizens to marry, divorce, parent, and be buried according to their specific beliefs, and the responsibility of all citizens to serve in the army, regardless of their religious levels.[60]

During its March 2019 campaign, the alliance's platform included the following pledges:

Leaders

The alliance is led by Benny Gantz. Formerly Yair Lapid and Gantz served as co-leaders, until the 2020 split within the party.

The agreement was should it become the lead faction in forming a government, the two agreed to a rotation which would have had Gantz serving for the first two years as prime minister, with Lapid as foreign minister and Telem leader Moshe Ya'alon (in the third slot on the list) as defense minister. For the next two years, Lapid would have served as prime minister, with Gantz as defense minister.[68]

LeaderTook officeLeft office
Benny Gantz20192022
Yair Lapid20192020

Election results

ElectionLeader(s)Votes%Seats+/–Status
Apr 2019Benny Gantz
Yair Lapid		1,125,88126.13 (#2) 24
Sep 2019align=left rowspan=5Benny Gantz
1,151,214 25.95 (#1) 2
20201,220,38126.59 (#2)
2021291,537 6.61 (#4) 7

Notes and References

  1. News: Yakter . Alon . Tessler . Mark . Netanyahu's new rival is surging in Israel's polls . Gantz's centrist political party, Blue and White, leads the opposition despite being particularly vague on Israel’s most important ideological cleavage: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. . . 26 February 2018.
  2. News: Halbfinger . David M. . 2 Israel Centrists, Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, Join Forces Against Netanyahu . 21 February 2019 . . 30 May 2019 . 0362-4331 . en-US.
  3. Web site: כחול לבן בראשות בני גנץ. Central Election Committee for the Knesset. 2021-06-14. he.
  4. News: Halbfinger . David M. . 2 Israel Centrists, Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, Join Forces Against Netanyahu . 21 February 2019 . . 30 May 2019 . 0362-4331 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Bishara . Hakim . 2020-12-14 . Opposition Mounts Against Proposed Appointment of Far-right Chairman to Israeli Holocaust Museum . 2024-03-26 . Hyperallergic . en-US . the liberal Zionist Blue and White party, headed by Defence Minister Benny Gantz, the son of Holocaust survivors..
  6. Web site: "Blue and White" - Kahol Lavan Party . 2024-03-26 . www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org . Gantz said the two parties would establish a “responsible, realistic, secure, and liberal” government. Such a coalition, he said, will “say no to racism, no to extremism, and yes to unity for all parts of the country and all types of citizens… ultra-Orthodox, Orthodox, secular; Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Jews.” Gantz added that voters “shouldn’t have to pick from the extremes.”.
  7. Web site: Staff writer. United Gantz-Lapid party to be called "Blue and White"; no women in top 6. The Times of Israel. en-US. 21 February 2019.
  8. Web site: https://bg19.co.il/platform/. he:מצע כחול לבן. כחול לבן. he-IL. 20 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190410052845/https://bg19.co.il/platform/. 10 April 2019. dead.
  9. Web site: https://milog.co.il/%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%95%D7%9C_%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%9F/. he:מילוג המילון העברי החופשי – כחול לבן פירושים. he-IL. 26 March 2019.
  10. Web site: Wootliff . Raoul. Rivlin to task Gantz with forming government after he receives 61 endorsements. The Times of Israel. 15 March 2020. 17 March 2020.
  11. Web site: Hoffman . Gil . Gil Hoffman . Blue and White splits as unity deal with Likud approaches . . 26 March 2020 . 26 March 2020.
  12. News: Knesset panel okays breakup of Blue and White; Gantz keeps name. Raoul Wootliff . The Times of Israel . 29 March 2020 . 29 March 2020.
  13. Web site: The deal is done: Netanyahu, Gantz ink coalition pact. The Jerusalem Post. 21 April 2020. Gil Hoffman. 21 April 2020.
  14. Web site: 31 March 2021. תוצאות האמת של הבחירות לכנסת ה-24 תוצאות ארציות תוצאות סופיות רשמיות . Central election committee. he.
  15. Web site: Staff writer. After marathon talks Gantz, Lapid agree party merger in challenge to Netanyahu. The Times of Israel. 8 March 2019. en-US.
  16. Web site: Liebermann . Oren . Carey . Andrew . Netanyahu set for fifth term as Israel's leader as rival concedes defeat . 10 April 2019 . . 22 September 2019.
  17. Web site: Staff writer . With plea for healing, president officially taps Netanyahu to form new coalition . . 22 September 2019 . en-US.
  18. News: After Netanyahu Fails to Form Government, Israel to Hold New Election. Haaretz. 30 May 2019. 22 September 2019.
  19. https://elections.kaplanopensource.co.il/2020/
  20. Web site: Rabinowitz . Aaron . Haaretz . Gantz Agrees to Lieberman's Terms for Entering Government . Haaretz . 8 March 2020.
  21. Web site: Israel's Gantz woos Joint List after reaching agreement with Lieberman . Middle East Eye . 9 March 2020 . 10 March 2020.
  22. News: Gantz's Three Options to Oust Netanyahu and Become Prime Minister. Haaretz . 9 March 2020 . 10 March 2020.
  23. Web site: Orly Levy's flipflop kills minority government. 10 March 2020. The Jerusalem Post. Gil Hoffman. 10 March 2020.
  24. News: Gantz said planning to put together minority government by March 23. The Times of Israel. 10 March 2020. 10 March 2020.
  25. Web site: Gantz, Peretz press ahead with center-left coalition bid despite setbacks. The Times of Israel. 11 March 2020. 12 March 2020.
  26. News: Blue & White in turmoil as Gantz stands for Knesset speaker with right-wing support. 26 March 2020. ynetnews.
  27. Web site: Netanyahu rival becomes parliament speaker, signaling deal. Federman. Josef. 26 March 2020. Associated Press. 26 March 2020.
  28. Web site: Blue and White splits as unity deal with Likud approaches. 26 March 2020. The Jerusalem Post. Gil Hoffman. 26 March 2020.
  29. Web site: Trump peace plan a sticking point in Israel's Netanyahu-Gantz pact. Barak Ravid. 27 March 2020. Axios. 27 March 2020.
  30. Web site: Intel: Netanyahu, Gantz strike West Bank annexation deal. Staff. Al-Monitor. 6 April 2020. Al-Monitor. 8 April 2020.
  31. Web site: Hoffman . Gil . Labor to merge with Benny Gantz's Blue and White Party . . 6 April 2020 . 6 April 2020.
  32. Web site: Why is the new coalition deal so controversial?. The Jerusalem Post. 21 April 2020 . 21 April 2020.
  33. Web site: In 'unity' deal, Gantz hopes he's compelled Netanyahu to let him be PM one day. Horovitz. David. www.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 21 April 2020.
  34. News: Netanyahu-Gantz Coalition Deal: This Is Israel's Likely Next Cabinet. Chaim. Levinson. Haaretz. 21 April 2020. 21 April 2020.
  35. News: Knesset backs bill meant to ensure Netanyahu-Gantz rotation in first of three votes. Haaretz.
  36. Web site: High Court green lights Netanyahu, coalition deal. The Jerusalem Post. Yonah Jeremy Bob. 6 May 2020. 6 May 2020.
  37. Web site: Israel: Likud, Blue and White say unity gov't to be sworn in next week. i24News. 6 May 2020. 6 May 2020.
  38. Web site: Knesset okays full legislative package anchoring new unity coalition. T. O. I.. staff. www.timesofisrael.com.
  39. News: After year of deadlock and days of delays, Knesset swears in new Israeli government. Haaretz.
  40. News: In political partnership Gantz, Sa'ar aim for unity government. Ynet. 13 March 2024. 10 July 2022. Moran. Azulai. Yuval. Karni. 31 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221031154831/https://www.ynetnews.com/article/nozaf2n25. live.
  41. Web site: 100 days out from election, campaign ads battle for soft-right voters. The Times of Israel. 25 July 2022. Carrie. Keller-Lynn. 14 August 2022. 15 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220815012333/https://www.timesofisrael.com/100-days-out-from-election-campaign-ads-battle-for-soft-right-voters/. live.
  42. Web site: Eisenkot joins Gantz, Sa'ar in National Unity Party. The Jerusalem Post. 14 August 2022. Staff writer. Eliav Breuer. 13 March 2024. 14 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220814061707/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-714658. live.
  43. News: 10 July 2022 . Blue and White, New Hope announce union, will run as joint slate in November vote . The Times of Israel . 29 March 2024.
  44. Web site: רוץ בני, רוץ: תקופת הצינון של הרמטכ"ל לשעבר תמה. אנונימית. 2 July 2018 . רדיו קול חי.
  45. Web site: החדשות – "בני גנץ החליט להצטרף לפוליטיקה" . 6 September 2018 . mako.
  46. https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/news/political_party_271218/he/political_party.pdf List of founders
  47. Web site: Magid . Jacob . Former defense minister Ya'alon officially quits Likud. 12 March 2017. The Times of Israel.
  48. Web site: Wootliff . Raoul . Former defense chief Ya'alon launches new political party, Telem . The Times of Israel. 2 January 2019. 8 March 2019.
  49. Web site: Staff writer . Launching bid to replace Netanyahu, Gantz vows to unify Israel, end incitement . . 30 January 2019 . 27 February 2019 . en-US.
  50. News: Garofalo . Elise . Israeli Election Primer – What You Should Know . Newshour . PBS . 21 January 2013 . 19 September 2013 . 13 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130913090325/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/01/israel-election-primer.html . dead .
  51. News: Kershner . Isabel . Isabel Kershner . Charismatic Leader Helps Israel Turn Toward the Center . The New York Times . A10 . 23 January 2013 . 23 January 2013.
  52. News: Ido Ben Porat . 9 February 2015 . Yesh Atid MK: We'll Prefer Herzog Over Netanyahu . Israel National News . 14 June 2015.
  53. News: Jodi Rudoren . Israeli Center-Left Leader Seeks Path Forward . The New York Times . 28 March 2015 . A8 . 14 June 2015.
  54. Web site: ועדת הבחירות המרכזית לכנסת ה-20 תוצאות ארציות. https://web.archive.org/web/20150318200737/http://www.votes20.gov.il/. dead. 18 March 2015. 18 March 2015. 29 March 2019.
  55. Web site: Harkov . Lahav . What are Blue and White's plans for the Nation-State Law? . . 25 February 2019 . 27 February 2019.
  56. Web site: Wootliff . Raoul . Blue and White releases its political platform: 'No second disengagement' . . 6 March 2019 . 6 March 2019 . en-US.
  57. News: מצע כחול לבן המלא פורסם: "לא תהיה התנתקות שנייה". Ynet. 6 March 2019. 20 March 2019 . קרני . יובל .
  58. Web site: http://www.israelnews.co.il/%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%92%d7%a0%d7%a5-%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9f-%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%95%d7%97%d7%93-%d7%9c%d7%93%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%94-%d7%9c%d7%9e%d7%a4%d7%9c-%d7%91%d7%97%d7%93%d7%a9%d7%95/. he:בני גנץ בראיון מיוחד לדוריה למפל בחדשות הערב בכאן 11: "סיפור הצוללות עצוב ומטריד מבחינה שלטונית". ברטוב. אביעד. 19 March 2019. Israel News. he-IL. 20 March 2019.
  59. Web site: מצע כחול לבן 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091028/https://bg19.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/blueandwhiteplatform.pdf. 27 March 2019. dead.
  60. Web site: בחירות 2019: מצע מפלגת כחול לבן בתחום הדת והמדינה.. על משמר הכנסת. 20 March 2019.
  61. News: Holmes. Oliver. Benny Gantz elected Israeli speaker, signalling deal with Netanyahu. 26 March 2020. The Guardian. 8 April 2020. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  62. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/who-is-benny-gantz-netanyahu-israel-election-1.7087481 Everything You Need to Know About Benny Gantz, the General Vying to Take Down Netanyahu
  63. Judy Maltz, Gantz's Party Promises non-Orthodox Recognition at Western Wall, Civil Marriages, Haartez (12 March 2019).
  64. Web site: הגיל הרך כחול-לבן. Yesh Atid. he. 20 March 2019. 17 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190917004654/https://www.yeshatid.org.il/%D7%94%D7%92%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9A. dead.
  65. Web site: מצע "כחול לבן": תוספת של 12.5 מיליארד שקלים למערכת הבריאות על פני 5 שנים. זרחיה. צבי. 4 March 2019. כלכליסט – www.calcalist.co.il. 20 March 2019.
  66. Web site: כלכלה, חברה ויוקר המחיה כחול-לבן. Yesh Atid. he. 20 March 2019.
  67. News: Jessen . Sophia . Yair Lapid Outlines Four Demands for Peace With Palestinians . Haaretz . 7 March 2019.
  68. Web site: Gantz and Lapid's 'Blue and White' reveals list, only 2 women in top 10. The Jerusalem Post. 8 March 2019. Gil Hoffman. 21 February 2019 .

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