Israeli president asks Opposition leader to form govt after Netanyahu fails to form coalition
Jerusalem, May 5: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday tasked Opposition leader Yair Lapid to form a new government, after beleaguered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to meet a midnight deadline of forming a coalition.
President Rivlin's announcement on live television gave opposition a chance to end the lengthy rule of Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is at the helm of politics since 2009 - becoming Israel's longest-serving premier.
Lapid, 57, a veteran journalist and politician, now has four weeks to build a coalition.
Netanyahu, 71, who is facing trial on a series of graft charges, was earlier tasked by President Rivlin to put together a government on April 6 following inconclusive polls, the fourth in the last two years.
President Rivlin's spokesman in a statement said: "Shortly before midnight, Netanyahu informed the President's Residence that he was unable to form a government and so returned the mandate to the president."
Rivlin on Wednesday contacted the parties represented in the Knesset (Israel's unicameral parliament) on the continuation of the process of forming a government.
He met with Yesh Atid party's chairman Lapid, and right-wing Yamina party's chairman Naftali Bennett at the President's Residence. At his request, the rest of the party leaders submitted their recommendations for the second mandate. Lapid received recommendations from 56 lawmakers and Bennett from only his party's seven.
"From the number of recommendations, it is clear that Yair Lapid could form a government that has the confidence of the Knesset, despite there being many difficulties," Rivlin said.
"I have just spoken to Yair Lapid and informed him that I am entrusting him with forming a government," he said.
Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the single largest party in the 120-member Parliament but failed to muster the necessary 61-member support to form a government. Likud had won 30 seats in the general election in March.
While tasking Netanyahu with the responsibility of forming the government, Rivlin had said that he was doing so reluctantly and also mentioned his "moral dilemma" given the court proceedings and lack of enough support for the Likud leader.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
Gideon Sa'ar, a former member of Netanyahu's Likud party who broke away to launch the New Hope party before the March 23 elections, had recommended Lapid to be tasked with forming the next government.
In the previous round of consultations with Rivlin last month, Sa'ar's six-member party didn't back anyone as premier.
Additionally, the majority of the Joint List alliance of predominantly Arab parties also chose to back Lapid this time around, saying it preferred him to any of the other options.
The additional support boosted Lapid's bloc of backers from 45 to 56 lawmakers, including Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Labor, Meretz and Yisrael Beytenu. His Yesh Atid party had emerged as the second largest party in the March 23 election with 17 seats.
The Blue and White party, headed by Defence Minister Benny Gantz also recommended that Lapid be granted the Presidential mandate to form a government, a spokesperson for the party said.
Rivlin gave Netanyahu the first chance to form a coalition after 52 members of parliament endorsed him as Prime Minister last month, compared to 45 for Lapid and a mere seven for Bennett.
Netanyahu failed to persuade Bennett to join him in a power-sharing agreement that would have seen the pair take turns as prime minister.
Bennett had dismissed the offer, saying even with his support Netanyahu could not muster a majority.
Likud blamed Bennett for foiling Netanyahu's chances by refusing to commit to a right-wing government, which would certainly have led to the formation of a government joined by additional members of parliament."
Though the right-wing bloc in the Israeli political spectrum has repeatedly garnered the majority seats in all the four elections, a lot of determined "friends turned foes" of Netanyahu have prevented a majority for him in the 120-member house.
Bennett, who in the past has served as Defence Minister in Netanyahu's government, on Wednesday called on all political parties to join a "broad emergency government" in order to avoid a fifth election.
"The truth is simple, Netanyahu failed to form a right-wing," Bennett said in a statement.
He said that he "left no stone unturned" in order to form a right-wing government, including last-minute efforts on Tuesday night to leave the door open for such a government, but that Netanyahu slammed it shut".
He also called on all right-wing parties to join a "broad emergency government," which, he said, would "not be easy for anyone" and "not necessarily a natural government" but was the only alternative to a fifth election.
If such a government does get formed, it would mark the end of Netanyahu's uninterrupted reign at the helm of affairs since 2009.
Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leader, having led five governments since 1996. The last, which saw him share power with the then-main Opposition party to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic, collapsed in December, triggering the latest elections.
Until any new government is agreed and sworn into office, Netanyahu remains Israel's Prime Minister.
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Women of country will give you answer: Cong hits out at PM on Karnataka sex scandal
New Delhi (PTI): Stepping up attack on the BJP over sexual abuse allegations against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna in Karnataka, the Congress of Monday alleged that the Modi government has "always protected" those who commit crimes against women.
Former All India Mahila Congress chief Netta D'Souza said the BJP has only given slogans such as 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', but the reality is there before the people of the country.
"Be it the brave women wrestlers or daughters like Ankita Bhandari, the prime minister did not try to provide justice to any daughter. The BJP government has always protected those who commit crimes against women," she alleged at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.
"The women of the country are very angry on the issue of Prajwal Revanna. Women are forced to think that the real character of the person, who was under the protection of Modi ji inside Parliament for the last 5 years, has been revealed to the country," she said.
"If someone else had done the same thing then Modi ji would have been saying all over the country -- 'Look, we have caught the criminal to protect our daughters'," D'Souza said.
"But now when it comes to his favourite person, his attitude is in front of the entire country," she said.
While the Congress has been attacking the BJP over the allegations of sexual abuse against leaders of its ally JD(S), the BJP has blamed the Congress government in Karnataka for the "delayed" action against the accused and said it would push for the full might of law against the accused.
D'Souza said PM Modi had shared the stage with Prajwal Revanna, who is seeking re-election from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, and sought votes for him.
"If Modi is there, then it is possible for Prajwal Revanna to flee abroad. If Modi is there, then it was possible for Prajwal Revanna to sit in Parliament. But today Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Smriti Irani are silent," she said.
"Modi ji was saying that the vote given to Prajwal Revanna would strengthen him. Now the women of the country will give you an answer on '400 paar'," she said, referring to the BJP's election slogan.
Prajwal and his father H D Revanna were booked by police on Sunday on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman who worked in their household.
Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and a nephew of Karnataka's former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
Faced with unrelenting attacks from the Congress and other political parties, the JD(S), an ally of the BJP, has suspended Prajwal.
Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was arrested by the Special Investigation Team on Saturday in a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son Prajwal soon after a court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.
Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday said a 'Blue Corner' notice has been issued and Interpol's help is being taken to bring Prajwal Revanna back to India.
