Netanyahu’s rival rejects conditions for forming Israeli govt

Israel’s centrist Blue and White party on Friday rejected what it said were demands from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a unity government under his leadership with his right-wing and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies.

Blue and White won the most seats in elections earlier this month. It said after talks with Netanyahu’s Likud that it “made clear from the outset” that it would reject those conditions, AP reports.

“It is clear that the stance taken in setting these two preconditions is aimed at dragging the state of Israel into a third round of elections, in line with the interests of the prime minister,” Blue and White said.

The centrist party, led by former army chief Benny Gantz, won 33 seats, closely followed by Netanyahu's Likud, with 32. Neither has enough support to assemble a 61-seat majority coalition, and they are fiercely divided over the leadership and makeup of any unity government.