Israel: Possibility of a third election in less than a year

Israel's former military chief Benny Gantz is set to receive an official mandate to form the country's next government but has few options after last month's elections left him in a near tie with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu was given the first opportunity to form a government after assembling a large right-wing bloc but announced this week that he failed to build a 61-seat majority. Gantz faces similarly steep odds, raising the possibility that Israel will hold a third election in less than a year.

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Rivlin to formally grant the mandate

President Reuven Rivlin is to formally grant the mandate later Wednesday to Gantz, who will have 28 days to form a coalition. It will mark the first time in over a decade that anyone besides Netanyahu has been given the task. Still, Gantz faces steep odds in every possible path to forming a government. He has been endorsed by just 54 lawmakers representing an array of parties that are unlikely to sit together in a coalition.

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Netanyahu had taken to Twitter to complain about Gantz

Netanyahu gave up the hope of forming the government and returned his mandate opening doors for his chief rival to form a coalition to run the country. Netanyahu had informed President of Israel Reuven Rivlin on Monday that he is returning the mandate he received to form a government after the end of the Simhat Torah holiday on Monday night and two nights before the deadline for him to build a coalition. Netanyahu had taken to Twitter to release a video complaining that Gantz refused to negotiate with him. In the video, Netanyahu revealed that he initiated talks with Gantz to form a unity government with him, however, Gantz refused the offer. In the video, Netanyahu has warned that a minority government by Gantz would threaten the existence of Israel. “A minority government will be formed with the support of the Joint List of MKs who encourage terror and oppose Israel’s existence,” Netanyahu warned. “How can a minority government led by Gantz and supported by these MKs fight terror?”

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'The Israeli people wanted a unity government'

Netanyahu had asserted that a unity government can still be formed if Gantz fails to form a coalition during the 28 days mandate he receives from Rivlin. Any member of the Knesset (MK) with the support of 61 other MKs can form a government in the following 21 days after the 28 days mandate. If no one succeeds, then the process of re-election will be initiated automatically. Rejecting Netanyahu’s offer, Gantz had said that he intends to form and lead a broad, liberal, unity government. He said “the Israeli people wanted a unity government after the last election too and vowed to form a "broad, liberal unity government."

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(INPUTS FROM AP)