Gantz rejects joining Israeli coalition led by Netanyahu
Israel's Blue and White alliance leader Benny Gantz rejected a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a governing coalition after Sept 17's general election resulted in no clear winner.
Netanyahu called on his main rival Benny Gantz to form a unity cabinet, which would allow the current Prime Minister to stay in power after Israel's second general election in less than a year failed to produce a clear winner, Al Jazeera reported.
Benny Gantz celebrated his party achieving the most seats in Tel Aviv on Thursday, vowing to lead a broad coalition from across Israel’s political spectrum, known as a unity government, ending several years of right-wing and religious majorities led by Netanyahu.
The prime minister conceded Thursday that he would be unable to form the government he campaigned for but insisted he would lead a unity government with Gantz’s Blue and White party.
With more than 97 percent of the vote counted, the centrist Blue and White party led by Gantz has 33 seats, while Netanyahu's Likud party is behind with 31, falling short of the majority figure of 61.
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