Netanyahu rivals ready to cooperate on forming new Israeli govt

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief rival said he has agreed with a smaller party to work together to form a new government following national elections last week. The announcement by Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, dealt a new setback to Netanyahu as he struggles to hold on to power ahead of his upcoming trial on corruption charges, AP reported.

Gantz said that he had a good meeting with Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the small Yisrael Beitenu party. “We… determined that we will work together to assemble a government that will pull Israel out of the political deadlock and advert a fourth round of elections,” Gantz said.

In last week’s election, Israel’s third in under a year, Netanyahu’s Likud Party emerged as the largest party. But with his smaller religious and nationalist allies, he secured only 58 seats in parliament, three short of the required 61-seat majority needed to form a new government.

Netanyahu’s opponents, led by Gantz, control a majority of seats. However, there are deep divisions between these parties, which include Lieberman’s secular, nationalist party and the Arab-led Joint List.