JERUSALEM: Benjamin Netanyahu gave up his effort to form a new government on Monday after failing to secure a majority coalition, creating an opportunity for centrist rival Benny Gantz to replace Israel’s longest serving prime minister. Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, said he had been unable to form a government following an election in September, and was returning the mandate back to Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin. “In the past weeks I made every effort to bring Benny Gantz to the negotiating table, every effort to establish a broad national government, every effort to avoid another election,” said Netanyahu, who turned 70 on Monday. Gantz, a former military chief, has pledged not to serve in a government under a premier facing criminal charges. Likud placed second in the September ballot with 32 seats in the 120-member parliament, behind 33 for Blue and White.

Source: New Strait Times October 21, 2019 19:52 UTC