RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL – SEPTEMBER 10: Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Likud party members after his announcement on September 10, 2019 in Ramat Gan, Israel. Netanyahu pledges to annex Jordan Valley in Occupied West Bank if Re-Elected on SEPTEMBER 17th Israeli elections. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) Israel will have its third round of elections since April 2019 after the Knesset failed to meet its December 11 deadline to form a government.
According to The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, the third round of elections currently is currently slated to occur on March 10, but the Knesset is debating a bill that would move the elections to March 2 because March 10 coincides with Purim.
The Knesset had 21 days to form a government after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud Party) and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz each were unable to form a coalition.
Axios reports that Netanyahu and Gantz have blamed each other over the failure to form an Israeli unity government. A plurality of Israelis surveyed (41%) in a Channel 13 poll published on Dec. 10 blamed Netanyahu for the political deadlock.
The poll also found that Blue and White would win 37 seats and Likud would win 33, putting their respective coalitions blocs at 60 and 52, respectively.
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