Gantz tasked with forming cabinet after Netanyahu fails

Mona Kandil
Press TV, Ramallah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to secure his fifth straight term in office suffered a major blow after he failed to form a new cabinet following an inconclusive election last month. Now the head of the centrist Blue and White party and former military chief Benny Gantz has been tasked with negotiating a coalition.

Many believe Gantz will also have a tough task ahead. If the Gantz-led coalition talks also fail, any lawmaker backed by a majority of at least 61 Knesset members would be the next one for trying to form a coalition.

Netanyahu has now twice failed at forming a coalition as he also couldn’t negotiate a way out of the deadlock following the first election in April.

If no candidate can end the political crisis, Israel will face an unprecedented third election in a year. Observers say that’s a scenario which many Israelis prefer to avoid.

At the end of the day, experts say Netanyahu was not going to succeed especially after he became deeply embroiled in three corruption cases. Israel’s attorney general is expected to announce in the coming weeks if he plans to indict Netanyahu.

So, for the first time in a decade someone not named Benjamin Netanyahu attempts to form a coalition. For the Israelis it matters, but for Palestinians, Israel will always remain a racist regime and the policy is one, if not worse this time.

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