Israeli President Tasks Lapid to Form New Government Instead of Netanyahu

The Israeli President Reuven Rivlin tasked Yair Lapid, leader of opposition and chairman of "Yesh Atid", to form the new government instead of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rivlin had consulted leaders of the other Israeli political parties that have seats in the Knesset (the Israeli legislative body).

This development comes after Netanyahu had failed to form a new government in Israel.

He couldn't get sufficient seats to secure a proportional majority to support his government.

The time limit given to Netanyahu expired yesterday so the Israeli president tasked Lapid to replace Netanyahu.

On the other hand, the designated Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stressed that Israel needs a government comprises of leftist, centrist, and rightist political currents to cope with the challenges that threaten Israel.

He pointed out, after receiving the letter of commissioning that the government of national unity in Israel is not a compromise or the last resort but it is a target.

He went on to say that Israel needs a government to prove that the Israelis do not hate each other.

He indicated that such a government shows that differences in Israeli society are sources of strength, not weakness.

Former Israeli Minister of Defence Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu political party, has commented on selecting Lapid to form the new government that forming the new government becomes a priority at present time.

Lieberman expected that the new stable coalition government may be announced within a week.

However, Netanyahu urged yesterday Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Yamina party, to boycott the envisioned government led by his opponent Yair Lapid.

I24news channel unveiled on Monday that Bennett had discarded an offer of Netanyahu to chair over a rightist government in Israel.

Bennett's rejection terminates Netanyahu's chance to form a new government.

If Lapid fails to form a new government within 28 days, the Israeli president will ask the Knesset to pick another political figure to form the government.

But if that figure couldn't achieve that target, Israel will go to the fifth general elections in less than three years.