Netanyahu, Gantz trade blame over breakdown in Israel coalition talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz tred blame Sunday over failure so far of efforts to reach a unity government deal following delocked elections. A new round of negotiations between Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud and Gantz’s centrist Blue and White broke down Sunday and two sides appeared far from reaching a compromise. Likud said Netanyahu would make a “last effort” to reach a deal before informing President Reuven Rivlin he is unable to form a government. That would leave Rivlin to decide wher to ask Gantz to try to do so or call on parliament to agree on a candidate for prime minister by a vote of at least 61 out of 120 members. Netanyahu “will make a last effort to realize possibility of forming a government at this st, before returning mandate to president,” Likud said in a statement. It called latest round of negotiations a “big disappointment.”

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Blue and White accused Likud 

Blue and White accused Likud of “throwing around slogans with sole aim of generating support in preparation for dragging Israel into ar round of elections at behest of Netanyahu.”This month’s poll was second this year after Netanyahu failed to form a coalition following April polls. Israel marks two-day Rosh Hashanah holiday beginning Sunday night and serious negotiations are t expected during that time. Likud wants to negotiate on basis of a compromise set out by Rivlin to form a unity government, which takes into account possibility of Netanyahu being indicted for corruption in weeks ahe. proposal could see Netanyahu remain prime minister for w, but step aside if indicted.

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Netanyahu says he will t abandon smaller right-wing 

Gantz would step in as acting premier under such a scenario. Netanyahu also says he will t abandon smaller right-wing and religious parties supporting him in parliament, giving him a total of 55 seats backing him for prime minister. Blue and White say Gantz must be prime minister first under any rotation arrangement since it finished with most seats in September 17 elections. Blue and White won 33 seats, just ahe of Likud’s 32, but neir has a clear path to a majority coalition. Gantz has 54 parliament members backing him for prime minister, but 10 are from Arab parties who say y will t serve in ex-military chief’s government. Rivlin tasked Netanyahu with trying to form a government Wednesday and he has 28 days to do so, with a two-week extension possible. delocked vote has threatened Netanyahu’s reign as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. If ar election is called due to standoff, it would be Israel’s third in a year.

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