Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz have agreed to form an emergency unity government and a war Cabinet according to AP.
The two leaders came to this agreement hours after holding a meeting at the Israel Defence Forces headquarters in Tel Aviv earlier on Wednesday morning.
Benny Gantz, a former defence minister and military chief of staff, released what he said was a joint statement with Netanyahu.
The statement said they would form a five-member “war-management” Cabinet. It will consist of Netanyahu, Gantz, current Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and two other top officials serving as “observer” members.
It said the government would not pass any legislation or decisions that are not connected to the war as long as the fighting continues. It was not immediately clear what would happen to Netanyahu's existing government partners, a collection of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Under the agreement, Gantz and his party colleague, Gadi Eisenkot, are reportedly set to assume ministerial roles and become members of a wartime cabinet alongside Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Israel witnessed a growing call for an emergency government after Netanyahu initiated a conflict with Hamas in response to their substantial attack on Israel on Saturday.
Gantz also found support from opposition leader Yair Lapid and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, all expressing their readiness to participate in an emergency government. Coalition members also voiced their backing for this proposition.
Reportedly, in recent days, Netanyahu and Gantz have convened multiple meetings to discuss the intricacies of forming the emergency government.
