Netanyahu tapped by Israel's president to form new government

By Jeffrey Heller

 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a nomination ceremony at the President's residency in Jerusalem September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's president tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday with assembling a new government after power-sharing talks with his strongest rival, Benny Gantz, failed following an inconclusive election.

 

But right-wing Likud party chief Netanyahu, facing a looming indictment on corruption allegations he denies, still has no clear path to a fifth term after emerging from the Sept. 17 ballot, the second this year, short of a parliamentary majority.

 

Accepting the mandate from President Reuven Rivlin at a televised ceremony, a politically weakened Netanyahu said his chances of success were only marginally higher than those of Gantz, a former general who heads the Blue and White party.

 

In his remarks, Netanyahu seemed to envision a scenario in which he and Gantz would be able to take another stab at power-sharing once it became clear there was no way out of the current deadlock, save for a third election that few in Israel wanted.

 

"If I don't succeed, I will return the mandate to you and with the help of God and Israel's citizens and yourself, Mr President, we will establish a broad national unity government down the line," he said.

 

Israel's president tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday with assembling a new government after power-sharing talks with his strongest rival, Benny Gantz, failed following an inconclusive election. Jillian Kitchener has more.

 

Netanyahu, 69 and Israel's longest-serving leader, will have 28 days to form a coalition and can ask Rivlin for a two-week extension if necessary. Netanyahu's failure to clinch victory in a ballot in April led to last week's election.

 

Rivlin, in his remarks, pointedly noted that he is under no obligation to grant his prime minister-designate that two-week extension to establish a governing coalition.

 

Nor did he commit to turning to Gantz if Netanyahu failed to break the current deadlock. Under law, Rivlin can assign the coalition-building task to any member of parliament he deems likely to succeed, or he can ask the legislature to pick someone.

 

With final results announced on Wednesday, Likud has the pledged support of 55 legislators in the 120-member parliament, against 54 for Blue and White. The two parties failed to reach a coalition deal in talks launched on Tuesday.

 

Former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a possible kingmaker, has been keeping his far-right Yisrael Beitenu party on the fence since the Sept. 17 ballot, citing differences with Likud's ultra-Orthodox religious partners and Blue and White's left-wing allies.

 

"It became clear that neither Netanyahu nor Gantz had the 61 seats necessary to form a government," Rivlin said at the ceremony.

 

"Netanyahu's ability to assemble an administration is higher at the moment," the president said, noting that 10 Arab legislators in Gantz's support bloc of 54, who recommended he nominate the ex-general, did not commit to joining a government.

 

Rivlin had until next Wednesday to announce his choice, but the Likud-Blue and White unity talks showed no sign of progress.

 

A deal in which Netanyahu and Gantz would take turns as prime minister was widely mooted.

 

But in his campaign, Gantz pledged not serve in a government with Netanyahu, citing the Israeli leader's legal troubles. And Gantz's deputies in Blue and White also voiced their strong opposition while the unity talks were under way.

 

Next month, Israel’s attorney-general will hold a pre-trial hearing on his announced intention to indict the Israeli leader on fraud and bribery charges in three corruption cases. Netanyahu, who says he is a victim of a political witch-hunt, can argue at the session against being charged.

 

As prime minister, Netanyahu would be under no legal obligation to resign if formal charges were filed. But any other cabinet post might not offer him that protection.

 

(Editing by Alex Richardson)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-26

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Nethanyahu has been PM for much too long , if he can be replaced by a more moderate , ( less right wing ) , Gantz , it will be better for Israel and the rest of the world .

Edited September 26, 20196 yr by nobodysfriend

52 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Nethanyahu has been PM for much too long , if he can be replaced by a more moderate , ( less right wing ) , Gantz , it will be better for Israel and the rest of the world .

It's not as easy as you say, moderate or a hawk, in the end any and all elections all over the world are primarily there to serve self interests, increase power and wealth and elections in Israel is no different...

28 minutes ago, ezzra said:

It's not as easy as you say, moderate or a hawk, in the end any and all elections all over the world are primarily there to serve self interests, increase power and wealth and elections in Israel is no different...

 

"...to serve self interests, increase power and wealth..."

 

I think it's clear enough how this relates to Netanyahu. Could you expand on Gantz's angle?

netenyahu lost the election but gets the presidents approval to form a government!

classic undemocratic Israel.

selecting a totally corrupt person also shows the true color of Israelis like sure they are not democratic people and act with their nationalistic and religious values.

like other middle eastern countries around, no difference.

1 hour ago, Galactus said:

netenyahu lost the election but gets the presidents approval to form a government!

classic undemocratic Israel.

selecting a totally corrupt person also shows the true color of Israelis like sure they are not democratic people and act with their nationalistic and religious values.

like other middle eastern countries around, no difference.

 

Netanyahu did not lose the elections. Israel's politics always dictate a coalition government needs to be formed. And currently, he's got slightly better options and chances to form one.

 

The rules regarding politicians and their legal cases being able to stand elections will probably be changed in a post-Netanyahu era. The level of corruption and legal misdeeds he's involved with were pretty much a precedent, and so long s he's in power, mustering the needed majority for such changes isn't going to happen.

 

As for your routine uninformed nonsense - "undemocratic", "just the same" - I'd ask you to support you claims, if it wasn't an exercise in futility. At best, you'll spew more of the same.

2 hours ago, Galactus said:

shows the true color of Israelis like sure they are not democratic people

I learned in life that is is never fair to generalize ... not fair to the people in a country who are not as the others , ( may be the majority ) ...

In Israel , as in many other countries the public opinion is divided ( yellow and red in Thailand , Brexit ... , Trump became President with not even 50% of the votes ... ) so better be precise when referring to .

Statistics should never be related to individuals ... ( all thai women are prostitutes , all Germans drink beer and are Nazis , all French are Hypocrites and so on ... ) = BS

Edited September 26, 20196 yr by nobodysfriend

On 9/26/2019 at 2:54 PM, Morch said:

 

Netanyahu did not lose the elections. Israel's politics always dictate a coalition government needs to be formed. And currently, he's got slightly better options and chances to form one.

 

The rules regarding politicians and their legal cases being able to stand elections will probably be changed in a post-Netanyahu era. The level of corruption and legal misdeeds he's involved with were pretty much a precedent, and so long s he's in power, mustering the needed majority for such changes isn't going to happen.

 

As for your routine uninformed nonsense - "undemocratic", "just the same" - I'd ask you to support you claims, if it wasn't an exercise in futility. At best, you'll spew more of the same.

no Netenyahu lost it with one seat. in every democratic country, president's approval to form a government is given to the party with the higher seats.

for my claims of Israel being undemocratic? ???? really? you want me to support my claim? one i stated above but a lot more.

 

 

On 9/26/2019 at 4:13 PM, nobodysfriend said:

I learned in life that is is never fair to generalize ... not fair to the people in a country who are not as the others , ( may be the majority ) ...

In Israel , as in many other countries the public opinion is divided ( yellow and red in Thailand , Brexit ... , Trump became President with not even 50% of the votes ... ) so better be precise when referring to .

Statistics should never be related to individuals ... ( all thai women are prostitutes , all Germans drink beer and are Nazis , all French are Hypocrites and so on ... ) = BS

generalizing what?

i stated my words based on the election results! Netenyahu s party came second! but got the president's approval to form a coalition/government.

before generalizing me like i am generalizing, please read the posts carefully my friend.

and yeah, sure there are lots of democratic people in Israel hating the current undemocratic and bloody state of Israel, you are sure right.

but issue is, are you one of those democratic people believing in human rights? if you are, what did you do so far?

what are all those democratic people believing human rights are doing Israel to prevent bloodshed and illegal land stealing against international laws?

nothing. so they can be blamed too and generalized. sorry.

 

@Galactus

 

Netanyahu's party got a seat less than it's main rival. It doesn't imply losing the elections. And it doesn't follow that it effects who's the first to be given the mandate to try and form a coalition. Your claim that "in every democratic country...." is nonsense. Not all democratic countries have similar systems, and this isn't even a precedent in Israeli politics. That you somehow assert that there are similar rules all over the World is counterfactual.

 

As for supporting your claim, you haven't actually done so to begin with. You've simply re-stated the same nonsense claim again. As for your usual rants - neither are they on topic, nor do they make your claims. The second part of your post is a good example of this.

31 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

@Galactus

 

Netanyahu's party got a seat less than it's main rival. It doesn't imply losing the elections.

 

That is truly hilarious - surly you chest!

It doesn't matter whether you like math or not, one seat less means lost, looser, second, not winning.

 

Forming a coalition government is an entirely different issue - they cant be mixed up with election math. There was actually talk that Liebermann could form a government etc....

2 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

 

That is truly hilarious - surly you chest!

It doesn't matter whether you like math or not, one seat less means lost, looser, second, not winning.

 

Forming a coalition government is an entirely different issue - they cant be mixed up with election math. There was actually talk that Liebermann could form a government etc....

 

Unless there's an obvious landslide, or the political bloc taking a heavy electoral hit, labeling it as a loss is meaningless. Same goes for declarations of winning the elections - while lacking options to form a government. I get it that some tend to take things literally, but it's not much of an informed position with regard to the OP.

 

By the way, there were quite a few reports about Gantz's party actually preferring to go second, rather being the first to to be tasked with forming a coalition.

 

 

The word 'Israel' is guaranteed to drive some of the more unstable individuals here into a frenzied, psychotic state; after which they tend to start babbling about democracy, human rights and other such ideals, used to attack this country.

Oddly the words 'Iran', 'Syria' or 'Kuwait' do not bring similar hysteria.

No prizes for guessing why.

4 hours ago, Morch said:

 

@Galactus

 

Netanyahu's party got a seat less than it's main rival. It doesn't imply losing the elections. And it doesn't follow that it effects who's the first to be given the mandate to try and form a coalition. Your claim that "in every democratic country...." is nonsense. Not all democratic countries have similar systems, and this isn't even a precedent in Israeli politics. That you somehow assert that there are similar rules all over the World is counterfactual.

 

As for supporting your claim, you haven't actually done so to begin with. You've simply re-stated the same nonsense claim again. As for your usual rants - neither are they on topic, nor do they make your claims. The second part of your post is a good example of this.

this alone: ' The Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty refers to a "Jewish and democratic State"

jewish and democratic? so same as iran as an Islamic republic? islamic and democratic?

can you speak about democracy in a religious stat? nope.

religion and democracy never goes together. no democracy in religious based states.

 

2 hours ago, toast1 said:

The word 'Israel' is guaranteed to drive some of the more unstable individuals here into a frenzied, psychotic state; after which they tend to start babbling about democracy, human rights and other such ideals, used to attack this country.

Oddly the words 'Iran', 'Syria' or 'Kuwait' do not bring similar hysteria.

No prizes for guessing why.

well my friend, iran, syria or kuwait dont go steal land belong to others.

and try to annex land belong to others. 

hence we criticize Israel here. if sane happened by lets say Iran, my words sure go hard for iran too. but that is not the case. sorry.

20 minutes ago, Galactus said:

this alone: ' The Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty refers to a "Jewish and democratic State"

jewish and democratic? so same as iran as an Islamic republic? islamic and democratic?

can you speak about democracy in a religious stat? nope.

religion and democracy never goes together. no democracy in religious based states.

 

well my friend, iran, syria or kuwait dont go steal land belong to others.

and try to annex land belong to others. 

hence we criticize Israel here. if sane happened by lets say Iran, my words sure go hard for iran too. but that is not the case. sorry.

 

Oh, you're doing the black and white, all or nothing bit, again?

Democracy is a matter of degree. Some democracies are better than others. If you're having trouble with the concept, consult one of the many democracy ratings surveys out there. Is Israel's democracy on par with European countries and such? No. Does it automatically make it the worst or even a non-democratic country? No.

 

If you think Iran and Israel are similar, guess the fact that your posts do not rely on reality and fact just got a major confirmation.

 

None of the nonsense you posted relates to your original claim - that somehow a detail in Israel's electoral process makes Israel undemocratic.

4 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Unless there's an obvious landslide, or the political bloc taking a heavy electoral hit, labeling it as a loss is meaningless. Same goes for declarations of winning the elections - while lacking options to form a government. I get it that some tend to take things literally, but it's not much of an informed position with regard to the OP.

 

By the way, there were quite a few reports about Gantz's party actually preferring to go second, rather being the first to to be tasked with forming a coalition.

 

 

Deflecting doesn't get points. All I am saying is a win is win - there is no ambiguity about that fact possible, Natyahoo came in second. I have no stake in these elections, like in the US, in the end it does not matter anymore, most politicians are the same yahoos anyway.........lol

 

And in the same vein, staying with real facts and not hearsay or wishful thinking parading as facts,  do you have actual statements (links) to Gantz's party preferring not to form the governing party? I am open to be informed.

17 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

Deflecting doesn't get points. All I am saying is a win is win - there is no ambiguity about that fact possible, Natyahoo came in second. I have no stake in these elections, like in the US, in the end it does not matter anymore, most politicians are the same yahoos anyway.........lol

 

And in the same vein, staying with real facts and not hearsay or wishful thinking parading as facts,  do you have actual statements (links) to Gantz's party preferring not to form the governing party? I am open to be informed.

 

In that case, no points for you or the other poster. You think there's no ambiguity? Guess you live in some alternate reality. As said, this isn't even a precedent in Israeli politics - it's not always the largest party who "wins", and there's no rule that the largest party be tasked with forming a coalition even. It's more to do with which party can generate the most political support among potential partners.

 

Never said anything about Gantz's party not wanting to form a government. The point made was that they (or elements within) though it more politically gainful to go second - the main selling point of such a ploy being extra pressure on the other side to deal. In a good (but unlikely) scenario, Netanyahu party members revolting or defecting, in a more likely one a unity government formed with Netanyahu's personal participation minimized. Whether this is smart is debatable.

 

Here's one link discussing this, there are others out there:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/blue-and-white-said-to-prefer-likud-get-first-crack-at-building-coalition/

 

Edit - another related link, demonstration just how ambiguous things can get:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/joint-list-leader-says-gantz-asked-party-to-reduce-support-in-tactical-move/ 

Edited September 30, 20196 yr by Morch

Democratic state with Human Rights as long as your a white Jew, preferable of migrant descent.

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12 hours ago, Zeid said:

Democratic state with Human Rights as long as your a white Jew, preferable of migrant descent.
 

Really  no need for Israel bashing in this thread .

Every thread about Israel the Jew not likers make an appearance

 

7 minutes ago, Zeid said:

Democratic state with Human Rights as long as your a white Jew, preferable of migrant descent.

Sent from my LDN-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

Seems like some on here can't relate to the OP, preferring wide brush claims over substance.

Really  no need for Israel bashing in this thread .
Every thread about Israel the Jew not likers make an appearance
 

Discussions about democracy, and it was not a comment about Jews it was a comment about actual democracy and hunan rights as per the discussions above, about the goverment of Isreal.

Same way I commented on other governments.

I just feel sorry that you see it as a comment against jews, but then again from many discussions on Quora and it seems here as well that pro Isreali goverment, individuals will always shift the attention to a person being a jewish not liker rather than admiting that the state is selectively democratic.


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2 minutes ago, Zeid said:

Discussions about democracy, and it was not a comment about Jews it was a comment about actual democracy and hunan rights as per the discussions above, about the goverment of Isreal.

Same way I commented on other governments.

I just feel sorry that you see it as a comment against jews, but then again from many discussions on Quora and it seems here as well that pro Isreali goverment, individuals will always shift the attention to a person being a jewish not liker rather than admiting that the state is selectively democratic.


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Whatever.

The topic isn't even about Israel being democratic or not.

The assumption that democracy is a yes-no, black-white, either-or thing is bogus.

3 minutes ago, Zeid said:

Must have only read and commented on what you can

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Must have just stumbled into these discussions on TVF....

 
Whatever.
The topic isn't even about Israel being democratic or not.
The assumption that democracy is a yes-no, black-white, either-or thing is bogus.

In this case I do not think true democracy does exist.

And again is selective

Erdogan policy changes are looked down at(regardless correct or no)
Cici in Egypt attempting the same but the west seems not to mind it (again regardless correct or no)

So even contries can be selective in whoes democracies they want to believe in, and support, sometimes even stand against the will of the people. Slightly off topic but related if democracy is black or white or selective :)



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12 hours ago, Zeid said:

Discussions about democracy, and it was not a comment about Jews it was a comment about actual democracy and hunan rights as per the discussions above, about the goverment of Isreal.

Same way I commented on other governments.

I just feel sorry that you see it as a comment against jews, but then again from many discussions on Quora and it seems here as well that pro Isreali goverment, individuals will always shift the attention to a person being a jewish not liker rather than admiting that the state is selectively democratic.


 

Your statement about White Jews in Israel  being treated differently to non white Jews in Israel, is incorrect

1 minute ago, Zeid said:

In this case I do not think true democracy does exist.

And again is selective

Erdogan policy changes are looked down at(regardless correct or no)
Cici in Egypt attempting the same but the west seems not to mind it (again regardless correct or no)

So even contries can be selective in whoes democracies they want to believe in, and support, sometimes even stand against the will of the people. Slightly off topic but related if democracy is black or white or selective ????



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Them loaded terms. You still seem to assume that "true democracy" is a well-defined, agreed upon concept, which either exists or doesn't. In the real world, democracy is a matter of degree, and even then comes in different shapes.

 

That countries have interests with regard to whom they support, and what they turn a blind eye to is nothing new.

 

Neither of these directly relate to the OP.

 

 

On 9/26/2019 at 8:37 AM, ezzra said:

It's not as easy as you say, moderate or a hawk, in the end any and all elections all over the world are primarily there to serve self interests, increase power and wealth and elections in Israel is no different...

It's also a misconception to think that every Israeli votes with security or foreign affairs in mind (although obviously it is a major factor). They also care about the economy, jobs, tuition fees, health etc etc... and are probably less concerned about 'the rest of the world' than 'the rest of the world' is about them. Your average Israeli (I don't mean the ones you meet travelling around Asia) is not a politician, they are normal people who care about normal things. 

Off-topic post and reply removed.   Stay on topic.  

 

Off-topic post reported and removed.