JERUSALEM: Israel’s president on Wednesday tasked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a new government after last week’s deadlocked elections, his office announced.
The announcement followed a joint meeting between President Reuven Rivlin, Netanyahu and the premier’s challenger Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension.
If all attempts fail, Rivlin can then assign the task to someone else.
Rivlin has been urging Netanyahu and Gantz to form a unity government, but a compromise appears a long way off.
Final results from September 17 elections gave Gantz’s centrist Blue and White 33 seats, ahead of Likud’s 32 out of parliament’s 120.
Neither has a clear path to a majority coalition.
Netanyahu received the endorsement of 55 members of parliament for the post of prime minister after the election, while Gantz received 54.
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Israel president tasks Netanyahu to form new govt: statement
Israel president tasks Netanyahu to form new govt: statement
- Netanyahu will have 28 days to form a government
- Neither Netanyahu or Gantz has a clear path to a majority coalition
UK calls on Israel to reverse its move to expand control over West Bank
- Critics have said Israel’s move to ease settlement expansion and widen its powers in the West Bank went in the direction of annexing occupied land
LONDON: Britain on Monday called on Israel to reverse its decision to expand control over the West Bank, joining Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in criticizing the move.
“The UK strongly condemns the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision yesterday to expand Israeli control over the West Bank,” the British government said. Critics have said Israel’s move to ease settlement expansion and widen its powers in the West Bank went in the direction of annexing occupied land.
“Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic make-up of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law. We call on Israel to reverse these decisions immediately,” the British government added.
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