Israel's President Reuven Rivlin has told Knesset Speaker Benny Gantz that he won't be extending his mandate to form a government. Gantz was tasked with forming a government 28 days ago, with most of the past four weeks devoted to negotiations with the Likud and Benjamin Netanyahu on setting up a national unity government. To this end, Gantz broke up his Blue & White party and was elected Knesset Speaker, in place of the party's original candidate for Speaker MK Meir Cohen.
A week ago it seemed that Gantz and the Likud were close to a unity government agreement but the Likud backed away at the last moment over a dispute on the composition of the Committee for the Appointment of Judges. The talks were broken off and have not resumed. This morning the Likud said it did what to resume talks and Gantz thus asked the President to extend his mandate to form a government. But Rivlin has refused.
A statement from the President's Residence said, "The period in which he was tasked with forming a government will expire tomorrow, Monday April 13 at midnight. The President of the State took this decision after talking to Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not confirm that the two were close to signing an agreement that would lead to a national unity government."
The statement added that if the two sides do not sign a coalition agreement by Monday night at midnight and the picture of recommendations does not change, then the mandate will return to the Knesset and a period of 21 days will begin in which the Knesset Members can form a majority to recommend a consensus candidate. That6 candidate will have 14 days to form a government.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 12, 2020
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