Israel May Hold New Elections After Netanyahu's Rival Fails To Form Government

https://www.npr.org/2019/11/20/781260650/israel-may-hold-new-elections-after-netanyahus-rival-fails-to-form-government

Israel is set to continue without a government and may be heading to new elections after Benny Gantz, rival of longtime Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday that he missed a deadline to form a government.

Netanyahu, who is facing the possibility of imminent indictment on corruption charges, also failed to form a coalition following the hotly contested election in September.

Gantz's announcement that he could not meet the deadline set by President Reuven Rivlin doesn't automatically trigger new elections. Rather, it kicks off another wave of political haggling — Israel's parliament has 21 days to nominate another lawmaker to try to form a majority government. If no other lawmakers are successful, it could usher in a third and unprecedented election this year, which Netanyahu has described as "institutional insanity."

Gantz, a longtime military leader and relative political newcomer, said his Blue and White party did everything it could.