Premier-designate Tzipi Livni is expected to turn to President Shimon Peres on Sunday or Monday to seek a two-week extension to permit her additional time to assemble her coalition government. The current mandate of 28 days expires tomorrow, Monday, October 20th. She will be requesting the extension but at the end of that time period, if she cannot present a government, the president will call for elections, which must take place within 90 days.

It is believed that Livni will indeed present a government by the end of the two-week period, even a narrow government that will rely on the good will of the left-wing and Arab parties since she believes they would support her from the opposition rather than risk elections which may result in opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu becoming prime minister, which would result in a right-wing government.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)