Live Updates: Hours Before Deadline, Gantz Tells President He Has Failed to Form a Coalition

[brooklynite]

Source: Haaretz

Kahol Lavan leader Benny Gantz announced Wednesday he was unable to establish a governing coalition, hours before his midnight deadline for negotiations.

Returning the mandate to form a coalition to President Reuven Rivlin, Gantz has effectively plunged Israel's political sphere into even greater uncertainty, raising the stakes for a third election cycle within a year.

After two failed rounds of unity talks, the first led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately after the September 17 election and the second by Gantz, any Knesset member with the backing of at least 61 lawmakers would be tasked with forming a coalition. Lawmakers have 21 days to nominate a candidate.

Earlier on Wednesday, Avigdor Lieberman, seen as Israel's kingmaker in government talks, said he would not support any kind of minority government, either one backed by the Arab parties or a narrow one with the 55-seat right-wing bloc backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Read more: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/netanyahu-gantz-meet-lieberman-israel-election-unity-government-1.8136896

[comradebillyboy]

1. Talk about disarray, Israel is in deep disarray. Maybe put Jared K or Ivanka up

as a unity candidate.