Gantz, Lapid unite to challenge Netanyahu, add ex-IDF chief Ashkenazi * Analysis: After a decade, a real contest * Jewish Home merges with Kahanists * More US hate groups

[Visit timesofisrael.com for 24/7 updates]( The Daily Edition Thursday, February 21, 2019 [After marathon talks Gantz, Lapid forge alliance in challenge to Netanyahu]( By [TOI staff]( [Former IDF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi also joining united centrist list as leaders agree to rotate being prime minister should they win the elections]( [United Gantz-Lapid party to be called ‘Blue and White’; no women in top 6]( By [TOI staff]( [Likud: Gantz and Lapid will usher in ‘leftist’ government ‘backed by Arabs’]( By [TOI staff]( [Israel media review / The Gantz mishpacha: 8 things to know for February 21]( By [Joshua Davidovich]( Live updates [Tibi’s Ta’al and Odeh’s Hadash headed for merger; Kulanu says it’ll run alone]( By [Jacob Magid]( [Union of struggling Arab-Israeli parties that made up two-thirds of Joint List to leave out hardline Balad; Kahlon’s faction similarly flirting with electoral threshold]( Analysis [Raoul Wootliff]( [After a decade of Netanyahu, Israel finally has a real election contest]( [In uniting, Gantz and Lapid have potentially upended years of political predictability. With their move, for the first time in years, the prime minister has a fight on his hands]( [Kahlon says he could support Gantz-led coalition ‘if it’s not leftist’]( By [TOI staff]( [Levy-Abekasis: No merger with Gantz after his ‘weird, hallucinatory’ behavior]( By [TOI staff]( [Jewish Home votes overwhelmingly to back merger with extremist party]( By [Jacob Magid]( [While wary of Otzma Yehudit, religious Zionist party’s members convinced alliance allows it to fight another day, after slumping in polls, thanks to ministerial posts pledged by PM]( [Extremist party that backs booting non-Jews seen by PM as vital for his victory]( By [Jacob Magid]( [Far-right candidate defends extremist Kahane after merger with Jewish Home]( By [TOI staff]( [Netanyahu promises Jewish Home 2 ministries to join with extremist party]( By [Alexander Fulbright]( [Labor MKs: Gabbay has ‘zero intention’ of uniting with Meretz in left-wing bloc]( By [Raoul Wootliff]( [Tamar Zandberg urges following the lead of centrist parties, which formed alliance led by Gantz and Lapid, vows to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in her efforts to merge]( [Labor announces last 2 names on Knesset list: MKs from Hatnua, Yesh Atid]( By [Raoul Wootliff and TOI staff]( [Ahead of key deadline, Arab parties haven’t reached deal to revive Joint List]( By [Adam Rasgon]( [Naming ex-general Labor No. 2, Gabbay says party will push for a ‘secure peace’]( By [Raoul Wootliff]( [Report: IDF drone fires at Gaza motorbike after arson balloons launched at south]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Army mum on claim it targeted suspect east of Rafah in southern Strip; no injuries; reported strike comes amid uptick in Palestinians launching incendiary devices into Israel]( [UN envoy says risk of Israeli-Palestinian war looms large]( By [Agencies and TOI staff]( [Multiple arson balloons launched from Gaza; IDF hits Hamas post in response]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Iran says it cannot rule out possibility of war with Israel]( By [TOI staff]( [Foreign minister Zarif accuses Jerusalem of ‘adventurism’ with its campaign of airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria, and cautions situation could deteriorate]( [Iran announces another navy drill in key Strait of Hormuz]( By [AP and TOI staff]( [Democratic Party passes resolution calling for US to re-enter Iran nuke deal]( By [Eric Cortellessa]( [PM speaks with Putin, agrees to hold postponed Moscow meeting ‘in near future’]( By [TOI staff]( Interview [Eric Cortellessa]( [The Jewish organization on the frontlines against Trump’s war on refugees]( [The Pittsburgh synagogue attack forced HIAS to evolve, says CEO Mark Hetfield]( [Trump bars US-born woman who joined IS from returning]( By [Shaun Tandon and Gianrigo Marletta]( [Britain and Bangladesh wash their hands of Islamic State teen mother]( By [Alice Ritchie]( [Number of active hate groups in US at record high, civil rights watchdog says]( By [Josefin Dolsten]( [Southern Poverty Law Center records rise in both white supremacist and black nationalist organizations, warns of future violence like Pittsburgh synagogue shooting]( [US Coast Guard officer arrested for white supremacist mass murder plot]( By [AFP]( [UK’s Labour suspends activist for anti-Semitic tweet]( By [TOI staff]( [Anti-Semitism worst since WWII, Macron tells French Jewish group]( By [Clare BYRNE]( [President vows to ban racist groups and recognize anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism after spate of recent incidents targeting Jews]( [Macron tells PM France will adopt definition of anti-Semitism mentioning Israel]( By [TOI staff and Agencies]( [Anti-Semitic graffiti scrawled on monument in French cemetery]( By [AFP and TOI staff]( Top Ops [Michael Aarenau]( [Banned, assassinated, and now mainstreamed: Kahane lives]( [It’s the boiling frog phenomenon: what began innocently enough with a few bad eggs ends with hatred and extremism engulfing the Knesset]( [David Sedley]( [Parshat Ki Tisa: Thread count]( [The loom inspired the tabulating machine, which developed into the computer, which allows you to read this blog post]( [Robby Berman]( [Declared undead: A strange ruling in NY court]( [A brain dead beating heart cadaver can never come to back to life, regardless of a NY judge’s decision]( [Jeff Tweedy on converting, the next Wilco album and why he loves his synagogue]( By [Stephen Silver]( [Danube days: Hungary launches culture year in Israel with song and dance]( By [Itamar Sharon]( More Headlines [Israeli team develops way to find genetic flaws in fetus at 11 weeks]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [Actor Jussie Smollett charged with felony for faking his assault]( By [DON BABWIN]( [Israeli arms makers unveil new bunker buster and suicide drone in India air show]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Tires slashed, graffiti daubed in apparent hate crime in Palestinian village]( By [TOI staff]( [German carmaker BMW to set up Tel Aviv center to scout for new tech]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [Woman hits motorcycle, injuring 2, continues driving and dies in another crash]( By [Stuart Winer]( [Australian leaders praise Israel in parliament as they mark 70 years of ties]( By [henry Benjamin]( [Breaking silence on Leifer allegations, Litzman says ‘everything was legal’]( By [TOI staff]( [Am Yisrael High / Pro-marijuana legalization party to sit out elections]( By [TOI staff]( [No JC for DC / DC Comics drops plans for Jesus superhero series after complaints]( By [AFP]( [Unsubscribe from this List]( © 2019 THE TIMES OF ISRAEL, All Rights Reserved