President Rivlin Urges Netanyahu, Gantz to Form Unity Govt. and Avoid 4th Elections

JERUSALEM, Israel - On Wednesday, Israel President Reuven Rivlin received the official results of Israel’s latest election. This coming Sunday, he’ll meet with the various parties of the next parliament where they’ll recommend to the president who should form the next government Benny Gantz of the Blue and White or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud.

After Rivlin received the official results, he called on politicians of both sides to work for stability.

"This is the place to remind party heads and elected officials that this house, and I personally, are at your disposal for any serious and genuine conversation you may wish to hold. any agreement you are able to come to, that produces a stable government which gains the trust of the people, will be welcomed," he said.

In the past, Rivlin has called for a unity government between Gantz's Blue and White and Netanyahu's Likud but neither party has accepted his proposal.

Before Sunday, Gantz has mobilized all the leaders of the center-left to help him oust Netanyahu as prime minister. It could give him a narrow majority of 62 members in the current Knesset if he's joined by the parliament's third-largest party: the Arab Joint List.

The Arab parties have never been part of an Israeli government. One reason: they reject the idea of Israel as a Jewish State, and some have aligned themselves with terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

During the campaign, Gantz dismissed Netanyahu's charge that he would align with the Arab Joint List. But now the prime minister's warning looks prophetic.

Gantz also has problems with his own party. Two conservative members of Blue & White want their party to keep its pledge not to align with the Arabs. They were told to line up with Gantz or resign.

Another member of a left-wing party said she would not serve in a government with the Arab parties.

If Gantz fails, the pendulum may shift back to Netanyahu and Likud. The nation battling a coronavirus quarantine awaits the decision by President Reuven Rivlin.