Israel moved closer towards holding a third election in less than a year on Wednesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main challenger failed to form a government.
Benny Gantz’s announcement that he would not meet a midnight deadline following Netanyahu’s own failure to put together a coalition in October deepened political deadlock at a time of mounting security and economic concerns.
#Israel may face unprecedented THIRD ELECTION after #Gantz fails to form coalition governmenthttps://t.co/pNaXrfRdkO pic.twitter.com/EYsIS9vBSy
— RT (@RT_com) November 20, 2019
“In the past 28 days, I have left no stone unturned, irrespective of how small, in my attempt to form a government that would bring to the state of Israel leadership with integrity, morality and values,” Gantz said.
“We have made great efforts toward forming a broad, liberal unity government … a government that will serve everyone – religious and secular, Jews and Arabs.”
Neither Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party nor former general Gantz of the centrist Blue and White secured a ruling majority in parliament in elections in April and September.
As Gantz fails to form a government in Israel, reports indicate that Netanyahu could be indicted on long-expected corruption charges as soon as today. @IKershner @halbfinger https://t.co/usJsxEw0oD
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) November 21, 2019
Netanyahu, in office for the past decade, failed to put together a coalition after the inconclusive September election. Gantz was handed the task by President Reuven Rivlin next, but his 28 days to form a government expire at midnight (22:00 GMT).
There was no sign of progress towards a Rivlin-proposed deal for a national unity government that would include Likud and Blue and White after weeks of talks.
Blue and White party chairman Benny #Gantz failed to form a new government by Wednesday night’s midnight #deadline.#IsraelElections https://t.co/sZi4LXEDTr
— Jerusalem Dateline (@JlemDateline) November 21, 2019
Lieberman, who heads the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, told a news conference on Wednesday that “both [Netanyahu and Gantz] were guilty” of failing to agree on a Likud-Blue and White alliance, which he had strongly advocated.
With no unity government in sight, Lieberman said, he would deny both men the support of his party’s eight legislators, effectively meaning neither Netanyahu nor Gantz would have sufficient backing to form more narrow administrations.
(Al Jazeera, PC, Social Media)
