Benny Gantz, the main opponent of Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday that he was not in a position to form a government paving the way for new parliamentary elections.
No parliamentary majority emerged after the April elections and the Israelis had already returned to the polls in September. However, the new poll was not conclusive, and Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been in constant business for ten years, failed to form a new coalition government because of Lieberman's lack of support.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin had instructed Benny Gantz, former army chief of staff, to try his luck in turn, but the 28-day period he had expired at midnight local time on 20 November . He has just thrown in the towel.
"We are moving towards new elections"
No further progress seems to have been made towards the formation of a national unity government, despite several weeks of negotiations between Netanyahu's Likud and the Blue and White Party of Gantz. Very favorable to this formula, Avigdor Lieberman judged Wednesday the two men "guilty" of the failure of the discussions and thus again excluded to grant them their support, which deprives them either of any chance of form a government.
"As things stand, we are moving towards new elections," Lieberman told a press conference on November 20. His party Yisrael Beitenu has eight seats in the Knesset.
With AFP and Reuters