Rivlin officially tasks Netanyahu with forming new government

President Reuven Rivlin officially tasks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming a new government.

“According to the request of a majority of Knesset members… I hereby inform you that you have a period of 14 days to form a government,” Rivlin writes in a letter sent to Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu will now have 14 days to put together a government, or the Knesset will automatically be dissolved and a fourth consecutive round of elections will be held.

The new government, which will include Netanyahu’s Likud party and Gantz’s Blue and White, is expected to be sworn in on May 13.