'Blue, White party is not ideal option for Arabs'

By AbdelRaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The leader of Blue and White party is not an "ideal" option for the Arabs in Israel but he can be a possible end of the current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's era, a member of Arab political party told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

"We don't see [Benny] Gantz as an ideal option but an evidence of the failure of Netanyahu's policy of entrenching the occupation, settlement and discrimination against Arab citizens," said Ahmad Tibi, MK for the Arab Movement for Change.

"As Arab MKs [members of Knesset], we will be ready to take all our responsibilities towards our Arab masses," he added.

A coalition of four Arab parties -- including the Arab Movement for Change, the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement and the National Democratic Assembly -- the joint list, said on Wednesday in a written statement that Gantz contacted the head of the list, MK Ayman Odeh, and "agreed to meet soon".

Two weeks ago, Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that Gantz could form a minority government based on the support of Arab parties.

Following the Israeli elections in mid-September, 10 of the 13 Arab MKs recommended that the Israeli president assigns Gantz to form a government in a bid to topple Netanyahu's government.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday tasked ex-military chief Gantz with forming a coalition government after Netanyahu failed to do so.

Gantz has 28 days to form a government. If he fails, the country will hold a third round of elections within a year.

Netanyahu was unable to form a government following inconclusive elections last month as he remains embroiled in several corruption cases.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara