Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he has failed to form a unity government. President Reuven Rivlin is now to give his rival Benny Gantz 28 days to form a coalition, after neither secured a majority in September’s snap election.

Netanyahu informed Rivlin on Monday evening that he was returning the mandate to form a government. In a Facebook video, Netanyahu said he had worked "relentlessly" to establish a "broad national unity government" which is "what the people wants."

In a statement, Rivlin said he will give Gantz 28 days for the task of forming a coalition. The decision is to be formally announced within the next couple of days.

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Gantz, whose Blue and White Party won the most seats in the September election, had previously rejected calls from Netanyahu to form a unity government.

Blue and White won 33 seats while Netanyahu's Likud party won 32, both falling far short of securing the 61 needed to form a majority government in the 120-seat Knesset (Israeli parliament).

Netanyahu's admission comes before a Wednesday deadline to form a coalition.

In his statement, Rivlin said he would speak with other political factions regarding his intention to tap Gantz to form a new government.

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