President Reuven Rivlin hands Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein the formal notice that Benny Gantz’s mandate to form a government is over, after the Blue and White party leader yesterday conceded failing to do so.

For the first time in Israel’s history, the mandate to form a governing coalition is now in the hands of the Knesset. If 61 lawmakers sign their support for a fellow MK to form a government over the next 21 days, that person will be tasked with doing so. If not, the country goes to the polls once again.

“This sad political outcome came after a second election cycle that was forced upon Israeli citizens when the 21st Knesset voted to dissolve itself,” Rivlin tells Edelstein. “This is a time of unprecedented darkness in the history of the State of Israel.”