President Rivlin:
"A fourth round of elections are not possible - the keys to establishing a new Israeli government are now in your hands and as in the hands of all the elected officials from all parties."

President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin today, Monday 16 March / 20 Adar, assigned the task of forming the government to chairman of Kachol Lavan, MK Benny Gantz. Earlier today, the president signed the letter of appointment, nominating MK Gantz, according to the provisions of Basic Law: The Government (2001) and spoke with the Kachol Lavan negotiating team at the request of Gantz, who updated the president on the current situation.

On assigning the formation of the government, the president said, “At the end of the consultations I held with the political parties, 61 Members of Knesset expressed their support for former chief of staff and Knesset member Benny Gantz to be assigned the task of forming the government. Accordingly, under Article 7 of Basic Law: The Government (2001), I hereby place in your hands the possibility of forming a government.”

“The law gives you, sir, 28 days beginning tomorrow, to form a government,” said the president, noting, “This is a short amount of time, but given the current circumstances of national and international crisis, it even this is too long. The enormity of this moment, and the dimensions of the challenges we face require forming a government in Israel. A government for the people of Israel. Nothing about today’s ceremony reduces in any way the responsibility borne by all parties to create the conditions in which as broad a government as possible can be established in this hour of crisis.”

At the end of his remarks, the president added, “As I have already said, it is possible that forming a government quickly will require interim arrangements for the coming months, but I have no doubt that this is what the people expects of its leaders at this time. A fourth round of elections are not possible and the keys to establishing a new Israeli government are now in your hands, sir, as well as in the hands of all the elected officials from all parties. On behalf of this dear people which resides in Zion, and for the good of all the citizens of Israel, I wish you luck.”