Benny Gantz claims victory in Israeli election, rejects Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for unity government

“Benny, we must form a broad national unity government today,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “The nation expects of us, from the two of us, that we’ll be responsible and work together. Therefore we should meet today, at any hour, any time.”

But Mr Gantz rejected Mr Netanyahu’s call for a national unity government, instead saying he would form a unity government without the four-time Prime Minister.

Yesterday, Mr Netanyahu met right-wing party leaders to discuss forming a coalition, many of whom pledged their support to him.

However, both he and Mr Gantz lead blocs of roughly equal sizes that are short of the 61 needed to form a government.

Both parties require the support of Yisrael Beiteinu, which looks set to get nine seats. Its leader Avigdor Lieberman has already called for a unity government between Likud and Blue & White.

The Likud leader’s call was backed up by Naftali Bennett, a former minister re-elected to the Knesset with the right-wing Yamina alliance, who said Mr Gantz should end his boycott of Mr Netanyahu.

בני גנץ צריך להיענות מיד לקריאת ראש הממשלה נתניהו להיפגש, ולהפסיק עם החרם המטופש הזה.

יש מדינה לנהל. https://t.co/XZzmlAvXPv

— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) September 19, 2019

Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gantz met on Thursday morning at a memorial service for former Israeli president Shimon Peres.