TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2019) Benny Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White political alliance, returned the mandate to form a government to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
"Kahol-Lavan [Blue and White] leader Benny Gantz spoke to President Reuven Rivlin and told him that he was unable to form a government," the politician's headquarters said.
Earlier in the day, Avigdor Lieberman, the former Defense Minister and the leader of the third largest party Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Our Home), said during an emergency meeting of his faction that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Gantz, were responsible for the current political deadlock in the country, which was likely headed to its third snap general election in less than a year.
Lieberman added that he did everything he could "to establish a national unity government."
After the first Knesset elections in April, Netanyahu had the opportunity to form a new government coalition, with the support of the largest number of elected deputies but he failed to assemble a coalition of a parliamentary majority.
The second election in September saw Gantz pull slightly ahead of the current prime minister, but his party was still short of a majority. Amid Ganz's unsuccessful efforts, the right to form a government can be granted to any deputy who can unite 61 parliamentarians in one coalition. Otherwise, Israel may head to a third election in less than a year.
