Deadlocked Israel faces third election

Jerusalem – Israel edged closer to a third election within a year yesterday as neither the embattled premier Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival appeared close to forming a government two days before a deadline.

Right-winger Netanyahu and former army general Benny Gantz, who leads the centrist Blue and White alliance, traded blame over the impasse ahead of tomorrow, the last opportunity to form a coalition and avoid fresh polls.

A new election would be a repeat of September’s deadlocked vote, which in itself was a response to inconclusive April polls, and would further deepen the political turmoil in the Jewish state.

“We made offer after offer and got nothing. Nada,” Netanyahu said on Sunday at a conference organised by a conservative Israeli newspaper. “Blue and White did not budge a millimetre.”

The two parties have been discussing forming a unity coalition but Gantz has rejected serving under Netanyahu, pointing to his indictment on a string of corruption charges.

Following the inconclusive elections in September, both Netanyahu

and Gantz were given 28day periods to try and negotiate a workable coalition in Israel’s proportional political system.

Neither was able to get the support of more than half of the 120seat Knesset, or parliament.

President Reuven Rivlin then turned to parliament in the hope of avoiding an unpopular election. But the 21-day period he granted parliament to find a suitable candidate expires at 11.59pm tomorrow.

If nothing changes by then, new polls will be called for, most likely to be held in March. –