Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Thursday informed Blue and White head Benny Gantz that his mandate to form a government would now pass to the Knesset. This comes as Gantz failed to present a government by the midnight Wednesday deadline. If after 21 days the Knesset cannot produce a candidate to form a government, it will automatically dissolve, triggering new elections.
The latest reports state that Rivlin has set August 4 as the date for an unthinkable round of fourth elections. As of Thursday night, negotiations between the two sides was deadlocked.
Rivlin’s office released a political timetable citing May 7 as the date by which an MK must be tasked by the Knesset with forming a government. May 8 is the date for informing the Knesset speaker as such, and August 4 as the date for the next election, allowing for a three month campaign.
We continue to await the results of negotiations between Netanyahu and Gantz and hope that it doesn’t come down to the need for a 4th election.