Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that Blue and White's engagement in petty politics was undermining the national effort to eradicate the coronavirus pandemic, saying the rival party's chief Benny Gantz was hindering the purchase of additional vaccines.
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In a special holiday greeting to Israelis celebrating the Passover holiday, Netanyahu said: "Happy Passover. I am so glad to see all of you taking time off to travel in our beautiful country, and this should not be taken for granted. Many countries are now under lockdown, but thank God we are doing ok, for many reasons, and chiefly among them is that we were early in ordering vaccines and also, of course, because you took part in the vaccination drive."
He then issued the warning to Gantz: "But these vaccines have an expiration date; we will need millions more doses six months from now in order to protect your health and safeguard our economy, and in a very high likelihood, what we order now will also be used to vaccinate our children, but unfortuantely, some have stopped this purchase and the vaccines could ultimately be sent to other countries, leaving us with a potential shortage that would risk our collective health and economy. We must put politics aside and allow the cabinet to vote on the transaction and approve it."
Netanyahu was referring to Gantz's refusal to convene the cabinet due to various disagreements on ministerial appointments. Gantz and Netanyahu formed a unity government several months ago, but it quickly unraveled and an early election was called. Those elections were held last week, and although Gantz and Netanyahu have ruled out sittting in a government again, Gantz still has the power to prevent cabinet meetings until a new cabinet is formed. He has insisted on appointing a justice minister but Netanyahu has refused, leading to the current stalement in cabinet meetings.
In response to Netanyahu's video, Gantz tweeted: "Netanyahu, now that you have broken your post-election silence, why are you doing it just in order lie? You are stangulating our democracy just in order to evade justice and you are trying to keep Israel without a justice minister. If the country is dear to you more than your trial, let's convene the cabinet and approve everything [appointment of a minister and the purchase of the vaccines] today."
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