The joint Blue and White-New Hope slate is projected to win 13 Knesset seats, while Yamina fails to secure enough votes to get into parliament. Political blocs hold steady spelling another potential electoral deadlock.
Defense Minister Gantz and Justice Minister Sa'ar unveil new electoral union seeking to "help end the country’s protracted political crisis" and "lay the foundation of the next government." Gantz to head joint slate, Sa'ar will serve as No. 2.
Platform speedily generates anti-viral drugs that target proteins common to all viruses. It could potentially also be used to also combat influenza, Zika, West Nile, hepatitis B and other viruses.
"I believe together we can establish a broad national government," says Shaked in her first public statement on the upcoming election since taking over Yamina. Labor Party gears for leadership primaries on July 18.
Children aged six months to four or five years can now also be inoculated against the coronavirus but the extent to which parents would be willing to vaccinate them remains unknown.
Yisrael Beytenu plans to demand the highly coveted Interior Affairs portfolio in the next government; Blue and White leader Benny Gantz reportedly courting former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, while Likud primaries are likely to be crowded.
With Ayelet Shaked at the helm, the right-wing party is expected to essentially retain its position in parliament, but could potentially sway the balance of power in favor of Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to form the next government.
Fall elections will be Israel's fifth in three years. Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid will assume office as prime minister at midnight, Bennett to serve as PM-designate and acting religious affairs minister.
"Even Netanyahu's greatest supporters say that they will not follow him into a sixth election campaign. He will have to step down," one party official asserts.
Ayelet Shaked and Matan Kahana are reportedly interested in taking over as party heads should Bennett decide step down. Religious Zionist Party head says he is willing to join forces with Shaked under Netanyahu’s leadership to avoid snap elections.
