As I recently shared with you, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz announced late last week that he was unable to form a coalition government.
Gantz’s announcement informing President Reuven Rivlin that he had failed came four hours prior to his midnight deadline.
This announcement, preceded by months of failed negotiations and political deadlock, has cast Israel into uncharted, unprecedented territory.
For the first time in history, President Rivlin has issued the unity mandate to the 120-member Knesset. This means any member can attempt to obtain the support of the majority to form a government.
There’s still a chance a third round of elections can be avoided – prolonging the uncertainty for months. But most believe that chance is unlikely.
The next 3 weeks will be critical.
And in the midst of the political upheaval and disunity caused by Gantz’s announcement last week, Israel’s Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, also informed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office that Netanyahu is officially being indicted on three counts.
Netanyahu is the first sitting Prime Minister of Israel to be indicted. And he has vehemently denied the allegations of corruption, saying they are politically motivated by left wing politicians and media.
According to Israeli law, the Prime Minister isn’t required to step down because of the indictment. The indictment, however, has made negotiations far more difficult for Netanyahu who has been fighting unsuccessfully to establish a unified majority after two stalemated elections this year.
And all of this is happening at a time when Israel’s enemies continue to surround her.
As I write, the fragile ceasefire brokered with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad – that ended the barrage of rocket fire on Israel’s southern border – is still holding.
And we remain watchful of the actions of Iran, who continue to enmesh themselves in Syria.
The tension is palpable. Violence could be unleashed at any moment.
That’s why we need to remain standing in support of Israel and the Jewish people through our prayers…
Please join us as we pray for God to:
Israel has come under scrutiny for its military actions in Gaza
It’s hard to imagine the fear and anguish of Israelis in the communities bordering Gaza when 2,000-some terrorists invaded Israel on October 7.
Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
A widespread increase in anti-Semitism in recent days is stirring organizations around the world, such as Jewish Voice Ministries International, to speak out once more condemning dehumanizing hate speech towards Jewish communities worldwide.
