Israel’s Netanyahu, Gantz miss government deal deadline, deadlock persists
A countdown to a fourth election in Israel in more than a year of political deadlock began on Thursday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and main rival Benny Gantz missed a deadline to form a government.
Under Israeli law, centrist politician Gantz’s failure to put together an administration within the 28 days allotted to him after a March 2 election meant that the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, will now have three weeks to agree on a candidate for the task.
If no nominee is chosen in the next 21 days or if the appointee does not form a government within two weeks of being chosen, parliament will automatically dissolve and a new election will be held.