Tel Aviv
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the formation of an emergency government with his chief rival to confront a growing crisis over the coronavirus. The offer, made in a national TV address, provides a potential way out of the deadlock that has paralysed the political system for the past year. “I call for the formation now, even this evening, of a national emergency government,” he said. “It will be an emergency government for a limited period. Together we will fight to save the lives of citizens,” he added, saying that politics should be put aside. He said that the virus does “not differentiate” between Jews and non-Jews or between the political left and right. The conciliatory language marked a sharp change after months of acrimonious campaigning and heightened rhetoric in the wake of another inconclusive election earlier this month.— AP
