Israel president asks parliament to find new PM and avoid elections

Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin tasked parliament Thursday with finding a new prime minister, to avoid fresh elections after incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz both failed to form a government.

“Starting today and for 21 days the decision of who to task with forming the government is in the hands of the members of the Knesset (parliament),” Rivlin said, a day after Gantz had admitted he would be unable to build a governing coalition.