![Leader of the Blue and White Party Benny Gantz speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv on 20 November 2019 [Blue and White Party/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019_11-20-Benny-Gantz20191120_2_39439068_49652560.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Israel’s Blue and White party has stopped its campaign to gather sufficient signatures from Knesset members to enable its leader, Benny Gantz, to form a government, Israel Radio reported.
The station said the party has left the scene open for Likud, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to form a coalition government, however the latter’s chances are also slim.
According to the Israel Radio, Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) has stopped its efforts because it came to the conclusion that its chances of forming a government are very small, in light of the intransigence of Yisrael Beiteinu Avigdor Lieberman and to avoid entering into coalition with the Joint List.
“Blue and White coalition fears that Gantz will not be able to form a government,” the report said, “which would damage its image in the Israeli street.”
Israel has been in a political vacuum for nearly a year. The Knesset elections were held in April and September 2019, but no government has so far emerged.
A third Knesset election is expected to take place in March 2020.
READ: Most Israelis back their parties joining Gantz-led coalition