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WORLD NEWS Friday 13 March 2020
Israel's Netanyahu calls for emergency government with rival

By JOSEF FEDERMAN in our power to see it move more than 100 people.
Associated Press forward." For most people, the new
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli The conciliatory language coronavirus causes only
Prime Minister Benjamin marked a sharp change af- mild or moderate symp-
Netanyahu on Thursday ter months of acrimonious toms, such as fever and
called for the formation campaigning and height- cough. For some, especial-
of an emergency govern- ened rhetoric in the wake ly older adults and people
ment to confront a growing of another inconclusive with existing health prob-
crisis over the coronavirus, election earlier this month. lems, it can cause more se-
offering a potential way Israel has been relatively in- vere illness, including pneu-
out of the deadlock that sulated from the coronavi- monia.
has paralyzed the political rus scare, with just over 100 More than 127,000 people
system for the past year. cases diagnosed so far. But in more than 110 countries
Netanyahu made the offer the numbers have begun have been infected. The
in a nationally televised ad- to creep upward in recent vast majority are in just four
dress, saying the virus does days. countries: China and South In this Saturday, March 7, 2020 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister
"not differentiate" between Israel has imposed a num- Korea — where new cases and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a
Jews and non-Jews or be- ber of tough restrictions to are declining —and Iran statement in Petah Tikva.
tween the political left and slow the spread of the virus, and Italy, where they are Associated Press
right. placing tens of thousands not. More than 4,700 peo- port to form a government. minister's upcoming trial on
"I call for the formation of people into protective ple have died worldwide. A unity government be- corruption charges, which
now, even this evening, home quarantine, ordering This month's election was tween the two large parties is set to begin next week.
of a national emergency all Israelis who return from Israel's third to end in dead- would be the most straight- Netanyahu has insisted
government," he said. overseas into quarantine lock in the past year. forward way out of the cri- that he lead any unity gov-
"It will be an emergency and barring almost all tour- Netanyahu's Likud sis. ernment.
government for a limited ists from entering the coun- emerged as the single larg- But after three contentious Citing the urgent health cri-
period. Together, we will try. est party but fell short of campaigns, there is great sis, Gantz appeared to be
fight to save the lives of Netanyahu announced securing a majority of seats animosity between the two open to compromise with
citizens," he added, saying that schools and universities in parliament required to leaders, and it remains un- Netanyahu.
that politics should be put would be closed through form a government. clear who would lead a "Given the circumstances,
aside. the end of the Passover hol- Although a slight majority unity government. Still, the we are willing to discuss
His chief rival, former mili- iday in mid-April, with the of lawmakers oppose Ne- growing coronavirus threat the possibility of establish-
tary chief Benny Gantz, said exception of preschools, tanyahu, they are deeply may be the spark that ing a broad national unity
he was willing to discuss boarding schools and spe- divided on other issues. brings the sides together. government, reflective of
the possibility of a national cial education facilities. Gantz, of the centrist Blue Gantz has previously ruled the entire Israeli public,"
unity government and that Israel's Health Ministry has and White party, also ap- out a partnership with Ne- he said in a statement late
his party will do "everything barred all gatherings of pears to lack enough sup- tanyahu, citing the prime Thursday.q

Iraq will investigate attack on base that

killed U.S. troops

By SAMYA KULLAB was discovered by Iraqi se- drew his nomination earlier
Associated Press curity forces a few kilome- this month. It also comes
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's ters (miles) from the base as the country's decrepit
military said Thursday it following the attack. health care system strug-
opened an investigation A military statement from gles to contain the coro-
into a rocket attack that Iraq's joint operations com- navirus pandemic. Allawi's
killed three service mem- mand said caretaker Prime stepping down followed
bers, including two Ameri- Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi political squabbling over
cans, at an Iraqi base hous- ordered the investigation the naming of his Cabinet.
ing coalition forces, ignit- into what he called "a very Shortly afterward, the care-
ing fears of an escalation serious security challenge taker premier, Abdul-Mah-
in U.S.-Iran tensions after and hostile act." di, said he would no longer
months of detente. The United Nations con- carry out most of his official
At least 12 coalition per- demned the attack, say- duties and called for early
sonnel were also wounded ing it took "critical political elections.
late Wednesday by a bar- attention away" from Iraq's The attack was the dead-
rage of rockets targeting ongoing domestic chal- liest to target U.S. troops in
Camp Taji base, located lenges, which threaten to Iraq since a late December
27 kilometers (17 miles) create a power vacuum in rocket attack on an Iraqi
north of Baghdad, accord- the Iraqi government. base that killed a U.S. con-
ing to a U.S.-led coalition "The last thing Iraq needs tractor and set in motion a
statement. A British service is to serve as an arena for series of tit-for-tat attacks
member, identified as 26- vendettas and external that brought Iraq to the
year old Lance Corp. Bro- battles," the statement brink of war.
die Gillon was also killed in said. The attack came American airstrikes target-
the attack, according to as a potential leadership ing the Iran-backed militia
London's Defense Ministry. void looms over Iraq after Kataib Hezbollah led to
A truck rigged with 107 mm prime minister-designate protests at the U.S. Embassy
Katyusha rocket launchers Mohammed Allawi with- in Baghdad.q