President Reuven Rivlin will hand over the mandate for the establishment of the government to Blue and White leader MK Benny Gantz on Wednesday evening, read a statement published by the president's office on Tuesday.
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Director-General of the President's Residence Harel Tubi held talks on Tuesday with all Knesset factions requesting their position regarding the identity of the candidate to whom the task of forming the government will be given.
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President Reuven Rivlin and Blue and White leader MK Benny Gantz
(צילום: אוהד צויגנברג, צילום: הדס פרוש, פלאש 90)
After receiving the responses of the factions, the president had decided to give the task to the former IDF chief and will officially appoint Gantz on Wednesday at 8PM.
After signing the letter of appointment, Rivlin and Gantz will give statements in the Hall of the President's Residence in Jerusalem.
Gantz, just like Netanyahu, will have a 28-day period to establish a viable government. If Gantz fails to do so, he will also have to relinquish the efforts to form a coalition and return the mandate to President Rivlin.
The president will then have to decide on whether to appoint another member of the Knesset to the task, providing them with an extra 21-day period, or calling an unprecedented third round of elections in less than 12 months.