Rivlin to Knesset: Over these next 21 days, do not be blocs or parties.

President Reuven Rivlin has formally informed the Knesset that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Chairman Benny Gantz of the Blue and White Party have failed their mandates to form a government, leaving it up to the Knesset to do so.

Rivlin said, "At the opening of the 21st and the 22nd Knessets, I called on you to put down the cudgels of elections and to wipe the slate clean. I implored you to understand that political considerations can no longer be your only guide. And that we do not just need a government that can rule, but also a sense of sovereignty, statehood and responsibility for this entire, dear people – all its tribes and sectors – living on its land, and which you lead. Today, there are former MKs sitting at home, bitterly regretting their decision to vote to dissolve the Knesset." He concluded, "Over these next 21 days, do not be blocs or parties. Each one of you should look to their conscience and answer one question: What is my duty to the State of Israel. Good luck.”