Netanyahu, Gantz Miss Unity Coalition ‘Deadline,’ Will Keep Trying
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has informed centrist leader Benny Gantz that his mandate to establish a government has run out, with Gantz having gone down to the wire at midnight on Wednesday trying form a unity government with right-wing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. According to previous statements made by Rivlin, he does not intend to give the mandate to the incumbent, preferring instead to award it to lawmakers at large in an effort to avoid a fourth straight election following three deadlocked votes. All indications show, however, that Gantz and Netanyahu will continue their consultations, with parliamentarians expected to extend a vote of confidence to any unity agreement that can avoid a return to the polls. Press reports have said the two are close to an agreement save for caveats on judicial policy that could affect Netanyahu’s pending trial for alleged corruption. The prime minister has been indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of public trust in three separate cases, and his critics says he has been using the elections as a ploy to avoid going on trial.