by Keren Setton
JERUSALEM, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hours ahead of another deadline passes in Israel's long saga of failed coalition talks, the country is closer than ever to a third consecutive election within a year.
Since the second election, held two months ago, ended with no clear winner, the parties have been busy trying to bridge the gaps and form a coalition government, but to no avail.
Sitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first one to try and fail. Now, his rival, Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, has reached the deadline of his mandate. Unless there will be a surprise in the last hours before midnight, he should also come up empty handed.
This raises the chances for two scenarios. Either Netanyahu will manage to form a right-wing coalition or Israel heads to general elections. Again, what began a year ago when early elections were announced has resulted in a political deadlock that no one is able to extricate the country from.
Netanyahu's corruption cases have complicated the situation. Under threat of corruption charges, his legal fate is expected to be determined in the coming days by the attorney general. Gantz and his party campaigned on the promise that they will not join a unity government under a leader that has been indicted.
"All this is about Netanyahu's attempts to avoid going to prison," said Jonathan Rynhold, professor of the political science department at the Bar Ilan University. "If he is taken out of the equation, a government can be formed within minutes."
"Third elections are a bad thing, but our basic principles and values cannot be dispensed with," Gantz tweeted after meeting Netanyahu in a last ditch effort to form a government.
Though rich in military experience, Gantz, a political new-comer, appears to lag behind Netanyahu who is known in Israel as a master of political maneuvers, as the deadline will pass and he will no longer have the mandate to form a government.
As the midnight gets closer, Israel is approaching unchartered territory. For the first time in its 70-year history, two candidates tasked with forming a government have failed.
According to the law, there are now 21 days in which any candidate of the 120-member parliament who has 61 signatures can form a government. Other than Netanyahu, however, it appears that no one has the chance.
"What we are witnessing is a massive effort of all party leaders to deliver on their campaign promises," said Meir Rubin, executive director of the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, adding these promises create a gap between the parties that they have so far not managed to bridge.
"The big questions about religion and state, security and education policies are a matter of a real division in the public," Rubin told Xinhua.
"When there are real divisions in the public, this is reflected in the political arena," he noted.
According to Israeli law, a sitting prime minister does not have to resign until a final conviction, after exhausting all appeals.
With eight mandates, Avigdor Liberman, leader of the hardline Yisrael Beiteinu party, said he will give his votes to the candidate who will form a broad national unity government. Since this isn't happening, he can decide whether to give his votes to either Gantz or Netanyahu. If not, Israel heads to third elections.
Liberman heads a party that is hawkish on security matters and foreign policy but adopts secular and liberal views on religion and state. This unusual mix puts him at odds with Netanyahu's natural partners, the ultra-orthodox Jewish parties which do not want to see any changes in Israel's delicate religious status quo.
"It looks like we are heading toward another election," Liberman told a room full of journalists. Should a new election be scheduled, it will likely be in March 2020.
Theoretically, in the 21 days remaining before a new election is announced, Liberman can still change course.
In order for Gantz to form a government, he needs the support of the Joint List of Arab parties with their 13 seats. However, Liberman would be committing political suicide by sitting in a government supported by his arch-rivals, the Arab minority in Israel. Hence, the path to elections seems wider than before.
The prospect of a third election within one year is so difficult to grasp for the Israeli public.
"A third election will not benefit anyone and a great change is not expected," said Rubin. "It is clear to all that another election will not lead to a major political shift."
As the clock ticks, Israel is running out of options. A third election, which seemed like a nightmare that would not come true just two months ago after the second one, seems to turn into an alarming reality.
