Knesset officially assigned to form government within three weeks

On Thursday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin instructed the Knesset to choose one of its members to form a government after the failure of Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz in this task.

Speaking in a press conference with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, Rivlin said that the leader of the “Blue and White” party, Benny Gantz, was unable to form a government either.

He added that “this is the first time we have reached this stage.”

“The law stipulates that a majority of at least 61 Knesset members may request, in writing and within 21 days, the President to delegate the task to a Knesset member,” according to Rivlin.

“Nobody wants another election and the majority of Knesset members don’t want new elections,” according to Edelstein.

He pointed out that the results of the elections held in April did not differ from the results of the elections that took place in September.

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Since the September elections, Rivlin has commissioned Netanyahu and Gantz to form the government, in case the Knesset gets the support of 61 members of the 120-seat Knesset, one of them can be charged.

If no demand is submitted by the majority of Knesset members within 21 days, Rivlin must inform the Knesset Speaker that this request has not been filed, and the Knesset will be dissolved and new elections will be held.

Observers asserted that in light of the data that followed the September elections, the Knesset will face the same difficulties that Netanyahu and Gantz faced, which will prompt Rivlin to dissolve the Knesset and call for new elections.

If elections take place, it will be the third in less than a year, after April and September elections.

Hebrew television said that the elections will probably take place next March.