Jerusalem; 22 Oct 2019 (UMM): Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to secure a majority to form a coalition government in Israel.
“In the past weeks I made every effort to bring Benny Gantz to the negotiating table, every effort to establish a broad national government, every effort to avoid another election,” said Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history, has seen his political strength fade as he faces indictment on corruption allegations.
70 year old Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud party, is returning the mandate back to Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, who now intends to ask Gantz to put together a new government.
Gantz’s Blue and White party said in a statement that it was “determined to form a liberal unity government.” Gantz, a former military chief, has pledged not to serve in a government under a premier facing criminal charges.
According to Reuters, Gantz also has no clear path to a majority, and should he come up short, it would almost certainly lead to another general election, the third since April. He will have 28 days to entice potential allies.
Likud placed second in the September ballot with 32 seats in the 120-member parliament, behind 33 for Blue and White, reported Reuters.
