Likud trying to get Netanyahu new mandate Sunday morning

The Likud began an effort late Saturday night to obtain the support of the 61 MKs needed to form a government and submit it to President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday morning ahead of a decisive 1pm meeting between Likud and Blue and White at the Knesset in Jerusalem. The effort began after Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman told MKs he was willing to have his eight MKs sign for both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, Likud faction chairman Mikki Zohar contacted Yisrael Beytenu faction chairman Oded Forer late Saturday night, and asked for signatures from the party in support of Netanyahu.   Likud already had the support of the 55 MKs in its bloc of right-wing and religious parties, so Liberman’s eight could put Netanyahu over the top. Blue and White already began seeing 61 signatures when the 21-day period in which every MK could form a government began 10 days ago, but Gantz’s party would need the support of Arab MKs from the Joint List to get to 61.

If the Likud obtains 61 signatures, Rivlin will be required to get a legal opinion from Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit on giving the mandate to form the government to an MK with three indictments. Mandelblit said last week that he would not rule on the matter, because it was theoretical at the time. It would no longer be theoretical if Netanyahu drafts the 61 MKs. Liberman did not officially announce his decision to sign for either candidate, which was leaked by MKs. He is expected to explain the move when he meets with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Sunday morning. The decision of Liberman became possible after Knesset Attorney Ilan Yinon ruled that any Knesset member can sign for more than one candidate to form a government and that the first to present to the president the 61 signatures will receive a 14-day mandate to form a government. Signing for a candidate not require the MK who signed to join a coalition led by the candidate he recommended.

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