Netanyahu, Gantz trade blame over breakdown in talks


FE Team | Published: September 29, 2019 21:18:02


Netanyahu, Gantz trade blame over breakdown in talks


JERUSALEM, Sept 29 (AFP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz traded blame on Sunday over the failure so far of efforts to reach a unity government deal following deadlocked elections.
A new round of negotiations between Netanyahu's right-wing Likud and Gantz's centrist Blue and White broke down Sunday and the two sides appeared far from reaching a compromise.
Likud said Netanyahu would make a "last effort" to reach a deal before informing President Reuven Rivlin he is unable to form a government.
That would leave Rivlin to decide whether to ask Gantz to try to do so or call on parliament to agree on a candidate for prime minister by a vote of at least 61 out of 120 members.
Netanyahu "will make a last effort to realise the possibility of forming a government at this stage, before returning the mandate to the president," Likud said in a statement.

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