President Peres to Prime Minister Netanyahu:

"Israel needs a strong and stable government that can face the challenges before us and unite the entire nation."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the President's Residence in Jerusalem this evening to request an extension for the formation of a government from President Shimon Peres. Before delivering statements to the press the two conducted a work meeting in President Peres' office during which Prime Minister Netanyahu updated the president about the coalition talks and laid out his reasons for requesting an extension.

 Prime Minister Netanyahu said to President Peres during the statements before the press that, "Mr. President, four weeks, you placed upon me the task of forming a government, and I have now requested from you an extra two weeks. During the past four weeks I have asked to form the widest possible coalition for the State of Israel. We have made significant progress in discussions on foreign affairs, economic issues and the sharing of the national burden. I think that we are close to an understanding on all these issues. More than that I can say that the ultra-orthodox public can accept these understandings, and the main reason that I have not yet completed the formation of a government is because of a reason which I say in the most open and simple way possible – there are boycotts. There is a boycott of a sector of society in the State of Israel and that doesn't fit my view. I am doing everything within my power to unite the nation; I believe that we as Jews have suffered from boycotts. We know that Israel is boycotted in international forums; we are rightly outraged when goods from the settlers in Judea and Samaria are boycotted. More than anyone it is the settler population in Judea and Samaria who should understand this as they suffer from daily boycotts. When we look around us and see the challenges we face, and you Mr. President understand them more than anyone, security challenges and the challenge of a responsible diplomatic process. My belief is that these challenges demand unity and not division, and so I want to use the coming days as another attempt to form a wide coalition. I hope that the leaders of the parties will be responsible and show leadership, which in my eyes means uniting and not dividing the nation. To achieve this I need more time."

 After Prime Minister Netanyahu laid out his perspective President Peres decided to grant him the extra 14 days in accordance with clause 8 of the Basic Law- The Government. President Peres said, "Prime Minister, on the 2^ndFebruary, according to the law, 28 days ago, I tasked you with forming a government. I did that after consultations, as required by law, with all the Knesset factions. After I examined the possibilities and after listening I came to the conclusion that you should be the person who will form the government. Now, I have heard from you the efforts you have done in the past 28 days and I was happy to hear that you believe you still have a chance to form a government in the coming two weeks. According to the law, I have the ability to grant you another two weeks to complete the task. I have no doubt that the country needs, as soon as possible, a wide, organized government that will be able to face the heavy security challenges before us, and a government which will unite the people as much as possible. We are a democracy and democracy requires great effort, and democracy also requires organized government. And so I accept your request to grant you another two weeks to form a government. I want to wish you luck."

 Photo Credit: Kobi Gideon