Netanyahu rival Gantz receives official mandate to try to form Israeli government

Former military chief Benny Gantz received an official mandate on Wednesday to try to form Israel's next government after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed, with no easy path to breaking a political deadlock.

Assigned the task by President Reuven Rivlin at a televised ceremony, Gantz, head of the centrist Blue and White party, will have 28 days to put together an administration. Failure could lead to Israel's third ballot within a year after inconclusive elections in April and September.