TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) The leader of Israeli centrists on Thursday rejected a compromise offer by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a coalition government, less than a week before the deadline.
President Reuven Rivlin tasked Netanyahu with forming a government by next Wednesday after neither his Likud nor Benny Gantz's Blue and White parties secured a majority in the snap election. Rivlin is expected to name another nominee with a strong chance of creating a coalition.
"We will wait for the president to give us the mandate and will begin earnest talks on forming a liberal unity government that will bring change and reignite hope in the Israelis," Gantz's press office said.
Blue and White won the most seats in the September 17 vote � 33, while Likud finished second with 32. Gantz has refused to enter coalition talks with the prime minister who is under investigation for corruption.
Netanyahu said on Twitter that his compromise proposal would have resulted in "the only government that can be formed now and the only government that should be formed now."
He suggested that the two parties set up a cabinet with equal representation, which would lay out a national security plan and grant it funding. He also proposed working out a joint stance on the US deal for Palestine.
