10-22-2019, 11:53 AM
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/21/world...srael.html
“The former army chief will have 28 days to assemble a coalition government for the fiercely divided country. Otherwise, a third election could follow.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will offer the chance to form a government to his chief rival, Benny Gantz.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel abandoned his latest attempt to form a government on Monday, clearing the way for his chief rival to take a shot but leaving a divided country no closer to knowing who its next leader would be.
It remained to be seen whether the move was the beginning of the end for Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, or just another twist in a political standoff that has paralyzed the government for six months.
President Reuven Rivlin said he would give Benny Gantz, the former army chief whose party won one more parliamentary seat than Mr. Netanyahu’s in last month’s election, the mandate to try to become the country’s next leader.
But Mr. Gantz, a political newcomer who has capitalized on pending corruption cases against Mr. Netanyahu, has no clear path to assembling the required 61-seat majority in Israel’s Parliament.
He has 28 days to try. If he fails, Israel could be forced into an unprecedented third election, a prospect few Israelis would relish.”
“The former army chief will have 28 days to assemble a coalition government for the fiercely divided country. Otherwise, a third election could follow.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will offer the chance to form a government to his chief rival, Benny Gantz.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel abandoned his latest attempt to form a government on Monday, clearing the way for his chief rival to take a shot but leaving a divided country no closer to knowing who its next leader would be.
It remained to be seen whether the move was the beginning of the end for Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, or just another twist in a political standoff that has paralyzed the government for six months.
President Reuven Rivlin said he would give Benny Gantz, the former army chief whose party won one more parliamentary seat than Mr. Netanyahu’s in last month’s election, the mandate to try to become the country’s next leader.
But Mr. Gantz, a political newcomer who has capitalized on pending corruption cases against Mr. Netanyahu, has no clear path to assembling the required 61-seat majority in Israel’s Parliament.
He has 28 days to try. If he fails, Israel could be forced into an unprecedented third election, a prospect few Israelis would relish.”