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Israel Edges Closer to Another Election Rerun
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Race
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| Contributor | Bojicat |
| Last Edited | Bojicat Nov 20, 2019 08:31am |
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| Category | News |
| Author | Felicia Schwartz and Dov Lieber - Wall Street Journal |
| News Date | Wednesday, November 20, 2019 02:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Avigdor Lieberman refuses to support rival efforts to form a new government hours ahead of a deadline.
TEL AVIV—Israel appeared headed toward a third parliamentary election in the space of a year after a small party refused to support either Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former army chief Benny Gantz in their rival efforts to form a new government.
Avigdor Lieberman, who emerged as an influential figure after September’s inconclusive election, said his Yisrael Beiteinu party wouldn’t back either camp hours before a midnight deadline for Mr. Gantz to form a new government. Mr. Netanyahu failed after September’s vote to summon the necessary support in Israel’s Parliament to form a coalition.
Mr. Lieberman’s comments dim the prospects of either Mr. Gantz or Mr. Netanyahu forming a government to end months of political deadlock.
“It seems that we are heading for another election,” he said, blaming both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz for the stalemate. “A narrow government will be unable to deal with the developments and the decision that must be made.”
Talks between Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu to form a unity government have mostly broken down and they are unlikely to announce one before Wednesday night’s deadline.
Mr. Gantz was still looking for a way to form one without Mr. Netanyahu, including a minority government, after two elections failed to produce a clear winner. But such efforts seemed unlikely in light of Mr. Lieberman’s refusal to support him.
For the first time ever, the country now enters a three-week period whereby the 120 members of its Parliament will attempt to find a majority to either support Mr. Gantz or Mr. Netanyahu again, or pick a third candidate to try to form a government. If they fail, Israelis will head to the polls again, likely in early March. Mr. Netanyahu would continue to lead the country in the interim. |
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