JERUSALEM: Israel was to swear in its newly elected parliament on Monday under stringent restrictions because of the coronavirus outbreak in what was expected to be a surreal ceremony reflecting the country’s unprecedented dual crisis in politics and public health.

Instead of the typical festive gathering of parliament’s 120 members, the new lawmakers will be staggered into the plenum in 40 rounds of three each so as to abide by the health ministry’s guidelines of limiting public gatherings to 10 people at a time. Israel’s largely ceremonial president Reuven Rivlin will preside over the unusual event after the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, was thoroughly sprayed with disinfectant.

The event, coming two weeks after national elections, will give the country a new legislature. But Israel still seems a long way from establishing a stable government.

Rivlin on Monday formally designated opposition leader Benny Gantz the task of forming a coalition after the retired military chief secured a slim majority of recommendations from incoming lawmakers. But beyond a joint desire to oust longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gantz’s bloc of supporters has very little in common. It is deeply divided along ideological lines and appears unlikely to band together for an alternative government that could replace Netanyahu’s.

Netanyahu’s Likud emerged as the largest party in the March 2 election, Israel’s third in under a year, but along with his smaller religious and nationalist allies only has the support of 58 lawmakers — leaving his right-wing bloc three seats short of the required majority in parliament. He also faces serious legal troubles as he prepares to go on trial to face corruption charges.

With the country’s continued deadlock likely, and the prospect of yet another election seeming preposterous under the circumstances, Rivlin summoned both Netanyahu and Gantz late Sunday to an emergency meeting in hopes of cajoling them into a unity government. Both men have expressed openness to the concept amid a national sense of emergency surrounding the spread of the new virus. But there is deep distrust between them after a nasty campaign and they differ on who should lead such a government.

Netanyahu has been shepherding the country as it confronts a growing coronavirus threat, with some 250 people diagnosed and the number quickly rising. He’s imposed a series of sweeping travel and quarantine measures that have thus far helped prevent any virus-related fatalities, but experts still predict many more difficult weeks ahead and the prospect of a more far-reaching clampdown on daily life.

Netanyahu’s aggressive response, showcased in near-daily prime-time television addresses, seems to have boosted his standing. His criminal trial has been postponed because of the restrictions on public gatherings and the pandemic eruption has offered him an opportunity to flaunt his leadership skills and project a narrative that his legal woes pale in comparison.