Israeli Politicians Nearing Key Deadline

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has 24 hours left before his month-long mandate to form a government expires and another candidate receives the coveted nomination. Netanyahu’s efforts to fuse together a patchwork coalition of extreme right-wing parties and Islamist lawmakers have so far fallen short and in the remaining time the desperate prime minister, standing trial for bribery, will look to thwart any alternative governments by his rivals and lead to yet another election. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, the man most likely to be tapped by President Reuven Rivlin to try to swear in a government after Netanyahu fails, has in recent weeks negotiated with right-wing lawmaker and former Netanyahu confidant Naftali Bennett on forming a unity government. Bennett, leader of a seven-seat party, has seemingly yet to decide which side to join, but by nightfall on Tuesday Israel’s future, be it a joint right-left government, a minority coalition of right-wing parties headed by Netanyahu or fifth elections, will have been made slightly clearer.