Israeli President Gives Benny Gantz Mandate to Form Government: FULL CEREMONY

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THE RUNDOWN | Israeli President Reuven Rivlin tasked Blue and White leader Benny Gantz on Wednesday with forming the government after the incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged his failure to build a coalition.

In his speech, Rivlin stressed the decision to give the coalition mandate to Gantz did not diminish anyone else's responsibility in resolving the political deadlock in the country.

Accepting the mandate, Gantz has re-iterated his pledge to form a liberal unity government, a government that will reconcile the various strata within the Israeli society.

He pledged to act in the interest of all citizens of Israel and stressed that "Israel first" was more than just a slogan for him and his fellow party leaders.

In a surprising move, Gantz also seemed to extend an open hand to besieged Netanyahu, possibly hinting that he could be ready to sit with him in a unity government should the incumbent premier emerge clean from the ongoing indictment probe against him.

In his previous statements, Gantz refused to sit in a government with Netanyahu while the prime minister was dealing with corruption charges.

Netanyahu is currently facing a variety of allegations, mostly dealing with gifts received from wealthy friends and supposed tit-for-tat with media moguls, with positive coverage as the prize.

Earlier, Blue and White reportedly invited Netahyahu's Likud to the negotiations table, with Likud accepting the offer.

The Israeli political scene is now in an apparent deadlock, with the September vote leaving both Netanyahu and Gantz without enough support to form a majority government.

With 28 days for Gantz to form a government, the prospect of a third vote is still looming over Israel.