Israel/Palestine

…….because of the block size :

Neither Netanyahu nor Gantz has the support of enough of the 120 Knesset members to claim a potential 61-MK government for their right-wing and center-left blocs, respectively.

Likud is now leading a bloc of 55 Knesset members, including the far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties. Blue and White has 54 MKs in its bloc, despite having one more seat in the Knesset than the LIkud's 32.

Anxious to avoid a third round of elections within a year, Rivlin had been pressing for the two parties to come together in government.

Netanyahu has 28 days to build a coalition, If he is unsuccessful, he may ask for an additional two weeks, which it is the president's prerogative to grant.


Failure to ultimately form a government means the mandate will then likely be given to Gantz as the leader of the second largest faction.