For the first time in his life Yair Lapid was given by the president a mandate to form a government

President Reuven Rivlin imposed the mandate to form the government on Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, who won most of the recommendations after Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government and returned the mandate a few minutes before midnight. Ynet broadcast the president's statement live.
After receiving the mandate from Rivlin, Lapid said: "The president today imposed on me the mandate to try to form a unity government in Israel. After two years of ongoing political nightmare, Israeli society is wounded. The unity government is not a compromise - it is a goal."
According to Lapid, "We must form a government that reflects the fact that we do not hate each other, a government in which the right, left and center work together to address economic and security challenges. A government that will prove to us that the fact that we are different is not a weakness but a source of power. "So that the unity government can be established as quickly as possible and go to work for the citizens of Israel."
In his speech, Rivlin elaborated on the reasons that led him to make the decision to grant the seat to the Torch. "After receiving the position of all the factions and talking to MK Yair Lapid and MK Naftali Bennett, it became clear to me that MK Naftali Bennett was left with seven recommenders as he was in the previous round while MK Lapid added 11 recommenders, so he has 56 Recommend.
MK Mansour Abbas wrote that he will cooperate in a positive way with anyone who will be tasked with the work of assembling the government, ie the one who receives the most number of recommenders. "MK Bennett has expressed his desire for a stable government that will serve the citizens of Israel and made it clear that he does not rule out the possibility of forming a government with MK Yair Lapid," the president said.
"It is clear from the picture of the recommenders that MK Lapid has the option of forming a government that will win the Knesset's trust, although the difficulties are many. In these circumstances, returning the seat to the Knesset is a sin against the law and could lead us to a fifth election, without all the possibilities for forming a government being used, "Rivlin stressed in light of the Likud's calls to return the seat to the Knesset.
The president added that the law allows Lapid to serve as an alternative prime minister. "I told him that not many were privileged to reach the status where a mandate is given to form a government in Israel, and I am sure that for him this is a moment that treasures first-rate national importance and responsibility."
Rivlin noted that "we have been in embarrassment for a long time. In embarrassment, not to mention a political crisis. These difficulties must not undermine our belief in the righteousness of our path and our ability to continue to build the building of the people's sovereignty in Israel. To the king's path, which will guide Israeli society. "
Shortly before Rivlin's statement, for which this is the seventh time since the beginning of his term that he has imposed the mandate to form a government, right-wing chairman Naftali Bennett announced his intention to work for a unity government. "From the right-wing bloc who showed responsibility and a lot of good will," Bennett said. "Even in the last day, we made one last attempt to leave another opening for the right-wing government, but Netanyahu slammed the door on us. Now we are looking forward. "
With the expiration of the mandate, the various parties were asked to recommend once again the candidate for whom it is appropriate to form the next government. Chairman Yair Atid MK Yair Lapid recommended 56 Knesset members, while unlike last time new Tikva members expressed support for the opposition chairman, as well as five out of six members of the joint list. Seven members of the right-wing party recommended Speaker Naftali Bennett. The Netanyahu camp called on the president to return the seat to the Knesset.
Knesset members who support Netanyahu wrote to the President that "We believe that in the current situation, it is not possible to form a government during the period of imposing an additional seat. Therefore, we believe it is right to pass the decision to the Knesset. This position follows the position presented before the first mandate." "The right thing to do is to transfer the mandate to the Knesset. The circumstances in this matter have not changed. A transfer to the Knesset will greatly increase the chances of forming a government in a short time that will prevent elections. This will save another period of uncertainty for the State of Israel."
Even before transferring the mandate to form a government to Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett told the media, "For 28 days we turned every stone, we made every effort in cooperation with the leaders of other right-wing parties who showed responsibility and goodwill. But Netanyahu slammed the door on us. Now we are looking ahead. I admit that this is not a government that is necessarily natural and it is not easy for any of the potential partners. It has people with different, and even opposite, positions. "A coalition is not a perfect ideal, it is always a compromise," Bennett said. "This is the essence of democracy in general and of the Jewish state in particular.
"I see this government as an opportunity to mark the common. In disputed areas we will not be able to break right or left, but there is so much in common. This is an opportunity to move forward in areas that we do agree on. Reassure the great anxiety in the people and remember that we are one family, as on Seder night. "Can't MK Amar Bar-Lev be in a coalition with Matan Kahana? Can't people who can fight together in Lebanon or Gaza be in the same government? Is that really so impossible?"
In the hours leading up to the end of the round of recommendations, Bennett made an intense effort against the right-wing bloc to get the mandate to form a government. Senior Likud figures and elements within the right-wing bloc told Netanyahu to pass a recommendation on Bennett, but he refused. Netanyahu was faced with two options: to recommend Bennett or to seek the Knesset's decision. In the end, his choice left Lapid as a sure candidate to get the mandate.
Lapid and Bennett met with the president at his residence
In the end, the right-wing bloc, which includes the Likud, Shas, Torah Judaism and religious Zionism, decided to ask the president to pass the decision to the Knesset. With Lapid and other left-wing parties. The Likud is convinced that as soon as Bennett and Shaked commit to being part of the right-wing bloc, a majority in the Knesset can be guaranteed for a right-wing government.