Israeli President Rivlin denies Benny Gantz's request for more time to form government
Israel's President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday rejected a request from Blue and White faction leader Benny Gantz for more time to form a government as a Monday deadline looms. Gantz had asked for a two-week extension to the task of forming a government, which has proved difficult after successive inconclusive elections in the divided country.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 02:38 | 12 April 2020
- Modified Date: 02:39 | 12 April 2020
Israel's president on Sunday rejected parliament speaker Benny Gantz's request for more time to form a government, as talks persist on a possible alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"President Reuven Rivlin informed ... Benny Gantz that in the current circumstances no extension would be possible to the period allocated to him for forming a government," a presidency statement said.
Gantz has until the end of Monday to form an administration.
Blue and White and Netanyahu's Likud had been inching closer to agreeing on a unity government ahead of the one-week Jewish Passover holiday that started on Wednesday, but ultimately didn't clinch a deal.
- Erdoğan rejects Turkish interior minister's resignation - presidency
- Turkey's Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu resigns from his post over short-notice coronavirus curfew
- Displaced Syrians wary of coronavirus risk return to war-torn Idlib
- France's novel coronavirus death toll rises by 561 to 14,393
- Record 139 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Bangladesh