Israel´s Kan tv channel reported that the leader of the White Blue Party, Benny Gants, may not travel to Washington next Tuesday to see the details of the deal of the century, while Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu abiding party, and Amir Peretz, leader of the left-wing bloc, questioned the timing of their publication.
"Gantz´s refusal to travel (to Washington) could cause him criticism in Israel and the United States," the official Kan Hebrew channel quoted the unnamed source as saying.
On Thursday, the White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump had invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ganitz next Tuesday to brief them on the "Deal of the Century."
Gantz has not yet announced his intention to respond to the official Us invitation, the source said.
The "Deal of the Century", a peace plan prepared by the Trump administration, is reportedly based on forcing Palestinians to make unfair concessions in Favor of Israel, including the status of the occupied City of East Jerusalem, and the right of return of refugees.
The source explained that this invitation will include a reception that will be organized in accordance with the protocol of the White House, and gants will not be part of it if he attends.
If Gantz helps advance Trump´s peace plan, he said, the deal will be the only issue in Israel until the March 2 election.
"But if Gantz is absent, the question of (requesting) prime minister (Netanyahu´s) immunity will come back."
He said Trump´s choice of timing to announce the details of the "Deal of the Century" is "an open political maneuver in an attempt to save Netanyahu from immunity hearings."
The source added: "Gantz will not be Netanyahu´s protective vest."
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, and Amir Peretz, leader of the left-wing labor-bridge-merts bloc, on Saturday questioned the timing of the administration´s announcement of its intention to publish the peace plan called the "Deal of the Century" ahead of israel´s March 2 elections.
"The publication of such a plan five weeks before the election is somewhat suspicious and questionable, just at the same time that will prevent this issue from being discussed in depth," Lieberman said at a cultural center.
Lieberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of traveling to Washington to evade his obligations as the Knesset would discuss the immunity he had requested.
Netanyahu did not intend to apply sovereignty to the Jordan Valley, and what he was talking about recently is just another game, he said. He noted that the issue of sovereignty over the Jordan Valley essentially has an absolute majority in the Knesset, and can be voted on in three readings one day, just as Begin applied sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
On his earlier promise as army minister to assassinate Haniyeh within 48 hours, he noted that Netanyahu and other ministers had worked to thwart the plan and other plans.
Amir Peretz, leader of the left-wing bloc, said the announcement of the U.S. plan at this time is questionable. He considered it illogical to publish it before the Israeli elections within a month.
Netanyahu has no legitimacy and should not be given legitimacy now through this political plan. He said he refuses to annex the Jordan Valley to Israeli sovereignty.
He stressed the need to resolve differences with the Palestinians within the negotiations and with an international agreement, and the need to establish two states for two peoples alongside each other, while preserving Israeli security issues.
On Tuesday, the Knesset (parliament) is scheduled to vote on the formation of the Knesset Committee to decide on Netanyahu´s request for immunity from prosecution in three corruption cases on charges of bribery, dishonesty and fraud.
The opposition´s efforts in Israel to form the committee before the elections are based on estimates that if the committee is formed, it will include a majority rejecting the immunity request, which would mean that the indictment against Netanyahu would be submitted to the court.
Gantz may not attend the announcement of the Century Deal, and Lieberman and Peretz are skeptical of the timing of their publication.
