Legal experts say there's no going back on vote initiating snap elections; some analysts see the measure as an effort by Netanyahu to avoid blame for having orchestrated move

PM says Likud never approached centrist Blue and White party in bid to prevent new elections, as Knesset legal adviser said to conclude move isn't legal

Yair Lapid says party will support canceling elections if Likud chooses another leader as talk of scrapping poll intensifies

Blue and White chief says no talks underway with Likud for unity government; Yisrael Beytenu: 'What is guiding Netanyahu is not the good of the nation but fear of losing power'

Knesset speaker said to concoct plan to nix new national vote, but it is unclear how PM could form a government without Blue and White, which rejects the plan as 'spin'

Likud denies making last-ditch offer to form unity government with Blue and White before vote was called last month to dissolve Knesset

Having failed to make it into Knesset, and after pulling his candidacy to be ambassador to Cairo, Ayoub Kara steps down, but says he isn't leaving politics altogether

Netanyahu grasps that he can't form right-wing coalition without Yisrael Beytenu and therefore will rely on outside support from non-Zionist factions, former defense minister says

Two largest parties reject TV report claiming behind-the-scenes legislative bid to avert national vote, form unity government

Miki Zohar says that prime minister ultimately rejected reaching out to Ra'am-Balad and Hadash-Ta'al, as he scrambled to cobble together government; parties deny claim