“I was surprised that Netanyahu didn’t return the mandate after not succeeding in forming a coalition,” Rivlin said at a Channel 12 conference on Thursday.
President Reuven Rivlin said on Thursday that he was “surprised” when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to return the mandate of forming a coalition to him after he failed in late May.
Following the last election on April 9, Rivlin tapped Netanyahu to form the coalition after the Likud leader received the most recommendations from different party heads.
After six weeks, Netanyahu failed to form a government but instead of returning the mandate to Rivlin, the Likud led the Knesset in a vote to disperse itself, forcing new elections which will be held on September 17.
“I was surprised that Netanyahu didn’t return the mandate after not succeeding in forming a coalition,” Rivlin said at a Channel 12 conference on Thursday. “I, like most Israeli citizens, see the prospect of a third election within the same year with great severity.”
Rivlin also said that he would do everything possible to prevent a third election.
Earlier Thursday, United Torah Judaism leader Deputy Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman slammed Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for saying he seeks to form a government that does not include religious parties.
Litzman pointed out that UTJ avoided attacking Gantz, focusing only on Blue and White co-chairman Yair Lapid, a longtime opponent, but said that the situation changed after Gantz said earlier this week that he wants a “secular unity government.”
“Apparently Lapid is a contagious disease that Gantz caught,” Litzman said. “We said clearly that if Netanyahu takes Gantz without Lapid, we would go with him.”
As reported by Ynetnews