Israeli president rejects call for coalition talks extension
April 12, 2020
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rival had asked for more time after failing to form a government for almost a month. President Reuven Rivlin turned down the request and a Monday deadline now looms.
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Israel's President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday rejected a request from Blue and White faction leader Benny Gantz for more time to form a government.
The opposition leader Benny Gantz had requested a two-week extension after failing for almost a month to reach a coalition deal with other parties.
Rivlin had originally given the former chief of the Israeli military until Monday to build a coalition following the March 2 inconclusive general election — the country's third in less than a year.
Advanced talks but no deal
Gantz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been advanced talks to form an emergency administration to see the country through the coronavirus crisis.
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Gantz wrote to Rivlin to say that his party and Netanyahu's Likud were "close to signing an agreement and that with additional time an agreement can be finalized."
But a few hours later, the president answered that "in the current circumstance no extension to the period allocated to him for forming a government would be possible."
Israel has been without a government for over a year. Despite three consecutive inconclusive elections, no party was able to form a parliamentary majority.
A failure to reach a deal could plunge the country into a fourth vote.
Netanyahu — in office since 2009 — was formally charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in January, all of which he denies. Netanyahu is the first Israeli premier to be indicted while in office.
Passover in pictures: Jews observe holiday of deliverance
Jews around the world are observing Passover, which commemorates the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This year, it is taking place from April 5 to 13, coinciding with the Christian festival of Easter.
Image: Rafael Ben-Ari/Newscom/picture alliance
Passover: A celebration of freedom
Passover, which is also called Pesach or Pessach, is one of the major Jewish holidays. The week-long holiday, which begins at sundown on the first day, follows the lunar calendar and thus takes place on different dates each year, often falling in March or April. It celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Ancient Egypt, under the guidance of Old Testament prophet Moses.
Image: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/Getty Images/AFP
The story of Passover
According to the Old Testament, God told Moses to command the Pharoah to free the Israelites. When the Egyptian ruler refused, God sent 10 destructive plagues to the Egyptians, including the death of every first-born child. God told Moses the Israelites would be spared if they slaughtered a lamb and smeared its blood on their doors — in this way, they were "passed over."
Image: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
Escape through water
After the death plague, the pharoah initially let the Israelites go but changed his mind and sent the army after them. When the Israelites arrived at the Red Sea, Moses held out his staff and God parted the waters so that they could cross. The Egyptian army was engulfed by the sea. The scene has inspired many works of art, such as this illustration from the Byzantine era.
Image: Maurice Babey/akg-images/picture alliance
A symbolic dinner
Many of the events from the biblical story are symbolized in the Passover meal, or seder. The most important seders take place on the first and second nights of the holiday. The meal is framed by the Haggadah (seen above), a text that recounts the Passover story and sets out the order of the proceedings. A seder's length can vary greatly depending on which Haggadah is used. Sometimes people sing.
At the center of the table is the seder plate with specific and symbolic foods upon it: a shankbone (for the sacrificed lamb); a hard-boiled egg (life and birth); bitter herbs like horseradish (the bitterness of slavery); a sweet paste called charoset (the mortar in the pyramids); and a leafy green like parsley (hope). A bowl of salt water on the table represents the slaves' tears.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Unleavened bread
Matzo, matza or matzoh: No matter how you spell it, one thing remains constant — there's no leavening agent in the thin cracker that is a key part of the seder. It's said that when the Israelites left Egypt, they left in such haste that there was no time to let the dough rise. Many Jews avoid leavened foods during all of Passover.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A welcoming meal
Ten drops of wine representing the 10 plagues are placed on each person's plate. Participants are supposed to drink four cups of wine, which represent the four terms of redemption made by God to the Israelites. A fith cup is set aside for the prophet Elijah; many open their doors to let him in. This is also a symbol of openness — strangers and the needy are meant to feel welcome at a seder.
Image: Elaine Thompson/AP Photo/picture alliance
Diversity of food
The food served at a seder can vary greatly, depending on culinary traditions. Jews originally from Eastern Europe might eat a veal roast, those from North Africa might eat a tagine. There are many variations on how the sweet charoset is prepared.
(This is an updated version of a gallery that was published on April 14, 2022)
