Netanyahu invites rival to join Israel unity government

Occupied Jerusalem - The deadlock has already raised speculation about a possible third election in the coming months.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited his political rival Benny Gantz to join a unity government with him and his religious allies on Thursday, an offer that was greeted coolly amid continued deadlock following this week's election.
The deadlock has already raised speculation about a possible third election in the coming months, just two days after an unprecedented repeat vote left the country's two main political parties with no clear path to a coalition government. While weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government lay ahead, conditions set by the parties could hobble the task within the allotted time, forcing another election.
With nearly all votes counted on Thursday, the centrist Blue and White party stood at 33 seats in Israel's 120-seat parliament.
The Israeli prime minister's conservative Likud stood at 31 seats.
Neither party, however, can muster a majority coalition of 61 seats with their smaller allies.

• MENA