The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they happen.
Rivlin: Israel democracy facing an emergency
President Reuven Rivlin addresses lawmakers as the 22nd Knesset is sworn in with no new government in sight.
Rivlin acknowledges criticism of his efforts to broker a unity government between Likud and Blue and White after both feel short of winning enough seats with their allies to form a coalition after last month’s elections. “It is legitimate and contains some truth,” he says.
Though his position is largely ceremonial, Rivlin says are times when a president is required to intervene “as part of carrying out his official role,” such as when no party has a clear path to forming a government.
“I know this — we are facing a time of crisis for the House of Jacob, an emergency for Israel’s security and for Israeli society, an emergency for Israeli democracy: all that is dear to us,” he says.
“Forming a government is not only the wish of the people. More than ever, in times like these, it is an economic and security need the likes of which we have not known for many years,” he adds.
Netanyahu says Gantz ‘trying to escape’ from unity government
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterates his call for the formation of a “broad national unity government” and rejects his rival Benny Gantz’s call for him to step down over his legal woes.
Netanyahu says that such a government is the “will of the nation” after both his Likud party and Gantz’s Blue and White failed to secure sufficient support together with their allies in last month’s elections to form a government alone.
“Apparently Benny Gantz is trying to escape from this decision. He is suggesting changing the democratic process. I don’t intend to accede to this request,” Netanyahu says, referring to Gantz’s demand he step down.
Gantz says Netanyahu is now sole obstacle to unity government
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz reiterates his centrist party’s commitment to forming a unity government after last month’s elections left neither bloc with a clear path to a majority.
Gantz says Netanyahu is now “the sole obstacle” to a unity government involving Blue and White and Likud, and that the broad platform of such a “liberal unity government” is agreed by the parties.
Israel, says Gantz, “needs a prime minister who can attend to its citizens’ needs, not his legal difficulties… a unity government not a immunity government.”
He charges that Netanyahu is “prepared to do anything to protect his own interests, even if that means dragging us to us to new elections.”
“The best thing for Israel is a unity government on the basis of fundamentals,” Gantz tells Blue and White lawmakers before the swearing-in of the new Knesset.
His comments jive with those of Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, who is pushing for a unity government that includes his party, Netanyahu’s Likud and Blue and White.
Netanyahu warns Israel could pay a ‘heavy price’ if no unity government formed
Prime Minister Netanyahu addresses Knesset members before the traditional group picture of party leaders and again calls for the formation of a “broad national unity government” to stave off a third round of elections in less than a year.
“We are not the only ones who suffer from this problem,” Netanyahu says of prolonged political gridlock. “But we cannot let ourselves suffer this problem. No one is as challenged as much as we are, no other country. And democracies that haven’t understood that you need to unite at time of danger suffer a heavy price.”
Netanyahu warns Israel faces major security challenges — namely Iran — which he says require the formation of a broad government.
“This isn’t spin, it’s not a whim, this is not ‘Netanyahu trying to scare us,'” he says.
Netanyahu lauds President Rivlin’s proposal for a unity government and references Elvis Presley in calling for the quick formation of a new government.
“I’ll quote an Elvis Presley song: ‘It’s now or never.’ But I’ll amend it a little — it’s now or later. The right thing to do now is to [finalize a unity government]. But if we don’t do it now, then [we’ll still have to do it] after I return the mandate, and Benny Gantz returns the mandate, and the final 21 days pass…”
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