Netanyahu says cannot form Israel government, allows opponent to try
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office on February 10, 2019. He informed Israel's president on October 21 he could not form a new government following deadlocked September election. PHOTO | GALI TIBBON | POOL | AFP
What you need to know:
President Reuven Rivlin has vowed to do all he can to prevent yet another election -- a third since April -- but the possibility remains that the stalemate could eventually trigger it.
Opposition leader Benny Gantz says he should be prime minister first under any rotation arrangement since his party won the most seats in September 17 elections, finishing with 33 compared to Likud's 32.
While the 70-year-old Netanyahu was yielding to his opponent at least temporarily on Monday, he has shown no sign of willingly giving up the post he has held for a total of more than 13 years.
