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Netanyahu, Gantz to Continue Talks As Time for Forming Government Extended for 48 Hours

© AFP 2023 / JACK GUEZIsrael's Prime Minister and leader of the Likud Party Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he delivers a statement in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikva on March 7, 2020.
Israel's Prime Minister and leader of the Likud Party Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he delivers a statement in the Israeli central city of Petah Tikva on March 7, 2020.  - Sputnik International
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This is now the third attempt to form a coalition in Israel, as neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party nor the Blue and White alliance was able to form a coalition government following two inconclusive votes in April and September of last year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset (parliament) speaker Benny Gantz are continuing talks on forming a coalition government, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday as Israeli President Reuven Rivlin granted the leader of the Blue and White alliance, a 48-hour extension to form a coalition government, prolonging a mandate that was set to expire at midnight local time on Tuesday [21:00 GMT on Monday].

The talks will be resumed on Tuesday morning.

Both Netanyahu and Gantz have jointly asked President Rivlin to extend the mandate to form a coalition, Haaretz newspaper reported.

Earlier on Monday, Gantz urged premier Netanyahu to form an emergency unity government together.

"Netanyahu, this is our moment of truth", Gantz said, according to TRT World.

Netanyahu also invited Gantz on Twitter to join him in a national emergency government "that will save lives and act for the citizens of Israel".

Benny Gantz, an ex-military chief and current speaker of Israel's parliament, has failed to form an alliance with his rival Prime Minister Netanyahu over the past three elections.

On 2 March Israel held its third round of parliamentary elections in a year in a bid to resolve the political deadlock. The snap elections' final count of votes saw Likud in the lead with 36 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Blue and White came in second with 33 mandates.

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