Bizarre situation in Israel: Netanyahu being asked to form government 5th time

To begin with, I am obliged to say that the situation in Israel highlights two serious faults of country's dysfunctional system, first, that the vote is split between so many parties that a clear winner does not emerge, and second, whatever is developing is ‘trading and bargaining’ which will end up in making inappropriate choices to run the ministries. 

The idea of 5th election is disgusting, but this faulty system has failed in providing a sustainable solution.

A skeptical Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to form a new government, after another inconclusive election deepened political stalemate in the country.

In his speech, Rivlin lamented that he could not have imagined when he was elected seven years ago that he would appoint a candidate to form a government five times during his term.

He said his main consideration is formation of a government that could receive the trust of the Knesset, but no candidate can currently obtain a majority of the Knesset.

The country’s longest-serving leader, in power consecutively since 2009, now faces the toughest challenge of enlisting enough allies for a governing coalition.

Under law, Netanyahu will have 28 days to do so, with the possibility of a two-week extension before President picks another candidate or asks parliament to choose one. Continued deadlock could ultimately result in a new election.

Israel’s election on March 23, its fourth in two years, ended with neither a Netanyahu-led right-wing and religious bloc nor a prospective alliance of his opponents capturing a parliamentary majority.

 “To my great regret, I have the impression that none of the candidates, at this stage, has a real chance of putting together a government, one that would win a confidence vote in parliament,” Rivlin said.

In his televised remarks, Rivlin said that under Israeli law, Netanyahu, as the current prime minister, was not disqualified from being assigned the task despite his indictment on corruption charges.

“The president fulfilled his duty and he had no choice, but granting Netanyahu the mandate is a shameful stain on Israel,” Netanyahu’s strongest rival, centrist politician Yair Lapid, said.