Iran Press/Iran News: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz traded blame Sunday over the failure so far of efforts to reach a unity government deal following deadlocked elections, Frane 24 reported.
Likud said Netanyahu would make a "last effort" to reach a deal before informing President Reuven Rivlin he is unable to form a government.
Netanyahu "will make a last effort to realize the possibility of forming a government at this stage, before returning the mandate to the president," Likud said in a statement.
This month's poll was the second this year after Netanyahu failed to form a coalition following April polls.
Netanyahu also says he will not abandon the smaller right-wing and religious parties supporting him in parliament, giving him a total of 55 seats backing him for prime minister.
If another election is called due to the standoff, it would be Israel's third in a year.
Netanyahu's cabinet collapsed in early 2019, when former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, and his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu Party, decided to withdraw their support from Netanyahu and leave the cabinet.
The Israeli prime minister had no choice but to go for early elections, which were held last April. Netanyahu's narrow victory in that election did not result in a coalition government because none of the main party leaders agreed to form a coalition with him.201/204
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