Israel's Netanyahu gives up effort to form new government

 

FILE PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the swearing-in ceremony of the 22nd Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem October 3, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his effort to form a new government on Monday after failing to secure a majority coalition, creating an opportunity for centrist rival Benny Gantz to replace Israel's longest serving prime minister.

 

Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, said he had been unable to form a government following an election in September, and was returning the mandate back to Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin. Rivlin said he intends to task Gantz with the job of putting together a new government.

 

"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, who turned 70 on Monday.

 

Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his effort to form a new government on Monday after failing to secure a majority coalition, creating an opportunity for centrist rival Benny Gantz to replace Israel's longest serving prime minister. Tamara Lindstrom reports.

 

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.

 

Gantz's Blue and White party said in a statement it was "determined to form a liberal unity government."

 

Netanyahu, in power for the past decade and 13 years in total, has seen his political strength wane as he faces a looming indictment on corruption allegations he denies. Gantz, a former military chief, has pledged not to serve in a government under a premier facing criminal charges.

 

Likud placed second in the September ballot with 32 seats in the 120-member parliament, behind 33 for Blue and White.

 

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch, Editing by Franklin Paul, Philippa Fletcher, Peter Graff and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-22

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The guy always seems to be surrounded with political disadvantages and corruption talks yet he remains and continues to remain in power, office. ✡

Edited October 21, 20196 yr by Solinvictus

3 minutes ago, Solinvictus said:

The guy always seems to be surrounded with political disadvantages and corruption talks yet he remains and continues to remain in power, office. ✡

His run of luck may have just ended.. he will be heading to court and probably prison.. 

 

2 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

His run of luck may have just ended.. he will be heading to court and probably prison.. 

 

Wouldn't  that be a fantastic outcome. 

1 hour ago, Solinvictus said:

The guy always seems to be surrounded with political disadvantages and corruption talks yet he remains and continues to remain in power, office. ✡

And that is because, unlike other banana republics and tyrency totalitarian regimes in the middle east, Israel is a democracy where the rule of law prevails and one is deemed innocent until proven guilty, and for a man who led Israel for 12 years as a very popular PM, i'm sure that he's working on planning his future for better or worse as we speak...

Edited October 22, 20196 yr by ezzra

Good news day. Bye bye Benjamin. Oh Donny will be upset too after supporting him big time as a great leader of Israel.

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

And that is because, unlike other banana republics and tyrency totalitarian regimes in the middle east, Israel is a democracy where the rule of law prevails and one is deemed innocent until proven guilty, and for a man who led Israel for 12 years as a very popular PM, i'm sure that he's working on planning his future for better or worse as we speak...

If he was popular he could have formed govt.

 

why was Likud given first chance to form govt when it was 2nd. Shouldnt the party with most get first chance?

Israel's Netanyahu gives up

 

Great news!

49 minutes ago, Sujo said:

If he was popular he could have formed govt.

 

why was Likud given first chance to form govt when it was 2nd. Shouldnt the party with most get first chance?

Attempting to explain Israeli politics to TVF members would be akin explaining mathematics to a toddler, and it was israel's president who has the powers to decide who will be first to get the mandate to form a government and also because Likud has more endorsements than the Blue white party...

2 hours ago, Sujo said:

Shouldnt the party with most get first chance?

Yes, I had the same thought. Gantz had 33 seats vs Netanyahu 31

 

Edited October 22, 20196 yr by AGLV0121

14 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Israel's Netanyahu gives up

 

Great news!

He should be tried for war crimes

13 hours ago, ezzra said:

Attempting to explain Israeli politics to TVF members would be akin explaining mathematics to a toddler, and it was israel's president who has the powers to decide who will be first to get the mandate to form a government and also because Likud has more endorsements than the Blue white party...

Yes im sure you would struggle to explain things intelligently.

14 hours ago, ezzra said:

And that is because, unlike other banana republics and tyrency totalitarian regimes in the middle east, Israel is a democracy where the rule of law prevails and one is deemed innocent until proven guilty, and for a man who led Israel for 12 years as a very popular PM, i'm sure that he's working on planning his future for better or worse as we speak...

We have all read  your anti-Muslim ranting posts ad nauseum. You support murdering Palestinian women and children. Your post is pathetic. Shame on you