‘A Shame’: Israel is Officially Going  to a Third Election in Under a Year 

JERUSALEM, Israel – After Israeli leaders were unable to break through a political deadlock that has gripped the country for more than a year, Israelis will be forced to go back to the polls in an unprecedented third election. 

Knesset members failed to meet a midnight deadline Wednesday to form a government coalition. Now, the country is gearing up for yet another divisive campaign season ahead of elections set for March 2. 

Rival parties Likud and Blue and White blame each other for the political meltdown.

“Keep your children away from the television,” Blue and White's Yair Lapid warned. “There are elections and these elections are going to be a festival of hate, violence and disgust, so make sure your children will not be in front of the television in the coming three months, so they will not see what the elected of the nation are telling them.”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu accused Blue and White of trying to form a minority government with the majority Arab Joint List Knesset Members, who he called “terror supporters.”

“They forced new elections on us. It is unnecessary and in order to avoid it happening again there is one thing to do and that is to win, and win big – and that is what we’ll do,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Gantz, a former army Chief, both tried and failed to form their own majority governments in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. The simple solution was for Likud and Blue and White to band together to form a unity government. Together they have enough seats form a government coalition, but neither leader could agree on how they would share power.

Netanyahu insisted on serving as prime minister first so he can fight the serious corruption charges against him from a more favorable position. According to Israeli law, sitting prime ministers who have been charged with crimes do not have to resign from office. Instead, they can claim immunity and fight the charges while still leading the country.

Netanyahu also insists on keeping his alliance with the ultra-orthodox Jewish parties, a move that has angered many Israelis because the ultra-orthodox are not Zionists and do not want to serve in the military.

On the other hand, Gantz refused to serve with a prime minister battling serious corruption charges. Instead, Gantz urged Likud to choose a different leader he can serve with.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Likud lawmaker, told Israeli Army Radio both Netanyahu and Gantz are to blame.

“The politicians were unable to decide and so it goes back to the people. And it’s a shame. There weren’t big differences,” he said.

This political impasse has paralyzed Israel and the new election is expected to yield similar results.

For Gantz and Netanyahu to forgo a unity government and form majority governments of their own, they have needed the support of Yisrael Beytenu chairman and former Netanyahu ally Avigdor Lieberman.

But Lieberman will not endorse either party and has called on them to form a broad secular unity government without the influence of the ultra-orthodox. With both leaders unwilling to compromise, it is unclear if a new election will be able to break this political cycle.

Today, Israelis have to grapple with the reality that they will be forced back to the polls, uncertain if their votes will win them a prime minister or a stable government.

The election is expected to cost Israelis hundreds of millions of US dollars.