Benny Gantz asked to form new Israeli government following third inconclusive election

On Sunday, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin asked Benny Gantz to form the country’s next government. Gantz now must drum up enough diverse support among the different factions of Israeli parliament to see that through.

“I will make every effort to establish within days as broad a national and patriotic government as possible to serve all the citizens of Israel,” said Gantz on Monday.

Gantz, an untested politician and member of the Blue and White party, will attempt to form his government following Israel’s third inconclusive election. Gantz has the support of 61 members of the 120-member Knesset, three more than the 58 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was able to muster, and just enough to form a government, in theory.

Netanyahu’s Likud party is still the leading seat holder in the parliament, with 36 members, while Gantz’s Blue and White party has 33.

While Gantz has four weeks to assemble a government, with a possible two-week extension, support has emerged for the formation of an emergency unity government to help Israel combat the continued outbreak of the coronavirus.

Some members of the Knesset say they would prefer a temporary unity government incorporating the leadership of Gantz and Netanyahu. Among them is Avigdor Lieberman, the right-wing leader of the Israel Beiteinu party and the country’s former defense minister, who supported Gantz in the election.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving prime minister, is preparing to face trial on charges including fraud and bribery. His trial, initially set to begin Tuesday, has been delayed due to the coronavirus.

Israel has been tamping down on its citizens amid the outbreak, requiring everyone returning from abroad to self-quarantine for 14-days.