Israel's president to ask Netanyahu rival Benny Gantz to form government

Opposition leader Benny Gantz will be asked to form a new government, Israel’s president said on Sunday.

“Tomorrow, around midday, the president will assign the task of forming the government to head of (Blue and White party) Benny Gantz,” Rivlin’s office said in a statement.

The announcement came at the end of a day in which Rivlin held consultations with all parties in the 120-seat Israeli parliament, the Knesset.

“At the end of the consultations, 61 Members of Knesset had recommended... Benny Gantz, as opposed to 58 Members of Knesset who had recommended the current prime minister and head of Likud, MK Benjamin Netanyahu,” the statement said. One member of parliament gave no recommendation.

Netanyahu, 70, was due to go on trial this Tuesday, but the coronavirus emergency has promoted restrictions of gatherings that delayed the start of proceedings for alleged bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.