Netanyahu hosts Bennett for second round of intensive government talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hosted Yamina party chief Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem for the second day in a row, after the former interim Defense Minister said his faction would throw its support in forming a right-wing government with Likud.

Amid Iran tensions, US defense chief to visit Israel

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to Israel, Germany, Britain and the NATO headquarters in Belgium in the coming week for talks with government and military leaders, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Bennet to meet with Netanyahu and Lapid

Chairman of right-wing Yamina party Naftali Bennett will have meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid this weekend, Ynet News reports. The scheduled meetings follow a week in which Bennet declined to indicate who he would recommend to President Reuven Rivlin to form Israel’s next government.

Likud MKs turn on Rivlin, claim he’s abusing his powers in bid to oust Netanyahu

Likud lawmakers lashed out at President Reuven Rivlin Wednesday, accusing him of being in cahoots with the prime minister’s rivals, after the president urged the various party leaders to engage in “out-of-the-ordinary coalitions, collaborations that cross sectors,” in order to break the extended political deadlock, and lamented the Netanyahu-led government’s failure to pass a budget.

‘Come back home,’ Netanyahu tells right-wing leaders

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed on Wednesday to two right-wing rivals to “come back home” and align themselves with him again to break a deadlock following Israel’s inconclusive election last week.

Right-wing vetoes on Arabs set to give Netanyahu first mandate

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances of receiving the first mandate to form a coalition from President Reuven Rivlin received a boost on Monday, when New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar and Yamina head Naftali Bennett ruled out a government backed by Arab parties.

Lapid, Likud meet kingmaker Abbas in effort to draft coalition

Ra’am (United Arab List) head Mansour Abbas, who holds the key to the formation of the next government, met on Saturday with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Likud MK Ayoub Kara, as both sides attempted to woo him in order to build a coalition.

With 99% of votes counted, Israel still trapped in political deadlock

With 99% of the votes in Israel’s March 23 elections counted Thursday, the country seemed on course to remain in the grip of political deadlock with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing, religious camp nor the bloc determined to end his 12-year premiership gaining the upper hand.

Netanyahu short for right-wing coalition, would need Arab support

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be able to form a government, according to preliminary results from 97% of the regular polling stations reported by the Central Elections Committee unless he gains support from the Arab-Islamist Ra’am Party.

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