President Reuben Rivlin made a speech at Wednesday's state memorial service for David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, in which he addressed the current political impasse.
"I appeal to you Israel's leaders", said Rivlin. "You are conducting a long, debilitating and futile negotiations for months - continually for your own sakes!"
"Why drag along with you the people of Israel? There is still time it can all be corrected - reach an agreement and put the state back on its revised path", he said.