Former military chief Benny Gantz received an official mandate on Wednesday to attempt the difficult task of forming Israel's next government after Benjamin Netanyahu failed.
Mr Gantz, head of the centrist Blue and White party, was given 28 days to put together an administration by President Reuven Rivlin in a televised ceremony.
Failure could lead to Israel's third ballot within a year after inconclusive elections in April and September.
Mr Netanyahu had the first chance to form a government after assembling a large right-wing bloc, but announced this week that he failed to build a 61-seat majority.
It is the first time in more than a decade that someone other than Israel's longest leader has been given the job.
Mr Gantz, a lifelong military man, has promoted himself as a practical leader who can bridge Israel’s many divisions and address the security threats it faces.
His low-key campaign was in sharp contrast to Mr Netanyahu’s, which was marked by announcements about a suspected Iranian nuclear site and plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.
Mr Gantz also presents himself as more trustworthy than scandal-plagued Mr Netanyahu, and may hope to draw parallels with past generals who became statesmen, including Moshe Dayan, Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon.
He has been endorsed by only 54 legislators representing parties that are unlikely to sit together in a coalition.
Mr Gantz and Mr Netanyahu say they favour a national unity government.
Together, the incumbent's Likud and his rival’s Blue and White control a solid 65-seat majority. But the two men are divided over who should lead a new government.
Mr Netanyahu has insisted he lead the government, at least for the first two years, and that it include his right-wing allies. Mr Gantz has repeatedly rejected those conditions.
Mr Netanyahu is likely to be indicted on corruption charges in the coming weeks, and Mr Gantz has said he should resolve his legal troubles before returning to the top post.
But Blue and White invited Likud negotiators to a meeting planned for Thursday.
Mr Gantz could break up the right-wing alliance and recruit some of the smaller parties to his coalition, but that might be seen as a major betrayal by those parties’ voters.
Another option would be to form a minority government with Avigdor Lieberman, who emerged as a king-maker after his party won eight seats and refused to endorse either candidate.
Mr Gantz might be able to convince the Arab Joint List, which won 13 seats, to support the coalition from the outside.
That would bring down Mr Netanyahu but result in a highly unstable government.
It is also far from clear that Mr Lieberman, a nationalist with a history of harsh speech towards the Arab minority, would support such a scheme.
No Arab party has ever sat in an Israeli government.
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
