Netanyahu and Gantz fail to agree on nature of government while Rivlin promises unity
by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The nature of the new Israeli government that is to be formed following elections last week became increasingly ambiguous Monday and Tuesday, as unity talks between Netanyahu and Gantz seemed to fizzle.
Final election results were presented to President Reuven Rivlin Tuesday, bolstering Netanyahu’s Likud to put it one behind Gantz’s Blue and White with 32 seats, though neither Gantz nor Netanyahu received the recommendation of 61 members of the Knesset necessary to become Prime Minister-delegate.
“I, therefore, believe that the right path for the State of Israel today is to build as broad a governing coalition as possible,” Rivlin said at a dinner Wednesday after hosting Netanyahu and Gantz at his residence Monday.
The talks at the President’s residence saw both Netanyahu and Gantz agree, have the Likud and Blue and White negotiating teams meet Tuesday, but later comments from both candidates seemed to indicate that neither was willing to let the other become head Prime Minister.
Under Israeli law, any member of Israel’s 120-member Knesset can become Prime Minister-delegate with a recommendation of 61 MKs, whether they are part of the largest party or not, meaning the government that will emerge will either take 1984’s rotating premiership as its model or be altogether unprecedented.