Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has warned of a potential civil war as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to accept a judicial compromise that would bring an end to the political stalemate.
Rivlin has been pushing for a power-sharing agreement between Netanyahu and his main challenger Benny Gantz, but Netanyahu has rejected the compromise and is insisting that his coalition government take control of the judicial system.
The compromise, which was proposed by Rivlin and supported by the majority of the Israeli public, would have allowed Gantz to become the prime minister and Netanyahu would become the deputy prime minister, with both would have shared control of the judicial system.
However, Netanyahu has refused to accept the compromise and has instead proposed a plan that would grant him full control over the judicial system.
Rivlin warned that if a compromise is not reached, the country could find itself on the brink of a civil war.
He said: “We are facing a crisis that could develop into a civil war. We must find a way to bridge the rift that is growing between the two camps and work together for the good of the country.”
The political stalemate has been ongoing since April when Netanyahu failed to form a new government after an inconclusive election.