Gantz says he should be PM in Israel unity government

Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main opponent in the country's general election, said Thursday he should be prime minister in a unity government.

Retired Israeli General Benny Gantz, leader and candidate of the Israel Resilience party that is part of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) political alliance makes a statement to the press in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, on September 19, 2019. [Photo: AFP/Jack Guez]

Gantz spoke to journalists after Netanyahu called for them to join together in a unity government as results from Tuesday's vote showed neither with an obvious path to form a majority coalition.

Gantz's centrist Blue and White is nevertheless two seats ahead of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud, according to results published by Israeli media with 97 percent of the vote counted.

The ex-military chief said his alliance had the most seats and he should lead the next government.

"The public voted clearly in favor of unity," Gantz said.

"Blue and White has at the time I am speaking won 33 seats, while Netanyahu has not obtained a sufficient majority to form a coalition as he hoped."

He went on to say that "we will listen to everyone, but we will not accept mandates imposed on us."

Netanyahu has been seeking to find a way to remain in office and continue his reign as Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

He also faces the possibility of corruption charges in the weeks ahead.