Gantz says won't join Israeli gov't with Netanyahu

JERUSALEM

The leader of Israel’s Blue and White alliance, Benny Gantz, said Tuesday he will not join any government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I will not sit with Netanyahu in the government," Gantz said in statements cited by The Jerusalem Post newspaper.

On Monday, Gantz said in recordings cited by Channel 13 during his meeting with his alliance activists that he does not rule out joining the government with Netanyahu, the leader of the right-wing Likud party.

"The tape was from a conversation that took place before the grave indictment of Netanyahu was announced and of course before it became clear that the prime minister received 16 million shekels in the submarine deal," Gantz said.

Last month, Israeli Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said he will indict Netanyahu in three separate cases on charges of corruption and bribery.

Mandelblit is likely to order the prime minister's indictment in Case 4000, in which Netanyahu is accused of awarding favors to Israel’s Bezeq Telecom Company in return for favorable coverage on the company’s news website.

Netanyahu is also expected to be indicted for fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000, which involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for Netanyahu and his wife.

He is also likely to be indicted in the third case known as Case 3000 that relates to an alleged deal for favorable media coverage with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

An opinion poll on Monday showed that Netanyahu's party would win 31 seats in Knesset in the April 9 election against 30 for Gantz-led alliance.