A meeting designed to finalize new measures against the coronavirus pandemic ended with mutual recriminations between Blue and White and Likud over the future of the fragile unity government.
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The special ministerial forum tasked with dealing with the virus had gathered on Sunday afternoon in order to deliberate on the future restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus, a day before they were to expire, but the ongoing disagreements over the upcoming deadline to pass a state budget soon resurfaced, leading to a shouting match.
Finance Minister Israel Katz, from Likud, turned to Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, asking for his party's support for a special budget for the poor. "Allow the measure, at a sum of 8.5 billion shekels ($2.5 billion) to pass, there is no reason why this should stall," Katz said, adding this must not be beholden to Blue and White's insistence on a two-year budget.
But Gantz retorted that Katz had violated the unity deal but refusing to plan for a two-year budget. "You never wanted to implement the deal," Gantz reportedly shouted.
Likud and Blue and White have had multiple crises since the unity government was formed several months ago. The deal includes a rotating premiership under a power-sharing arrangement stipulating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will step down in late 2021.
However, the government has been increasingly at odds over the budget, with Blue and White insisting that a budget be passed for all 2021 to ensure the rotation is carried out. Missing the deadline to pass the budget, which falls in late August, would automatically trigger an election.
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