Israeli President Shimon Peres is likely to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government on Saturday night, after completing consultations with 12 political parties which have been elected in the January 22 elections.
82 elected members of the new Knesset, Israel’s 120-member parliament, from six parties, recommended Netanyahu as Prime Minister.
Only the centre-left Labour party led by Shelly Yachimovich, centrist Hatnua, the new party of former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, leftist Meretz and Arab parties, which together make up 38 seats, did not ask the president to designate Netanyahu. Neither did they propose anyone else.
Peres began the consultation process on Wednesday after receiving the official election results from Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Elyakim Rubinstein. "I congratulate Israel's citizens for carrying out their civic duty with honor and for participating in the process that is designed to shape the country's future," Peres said on Wednesday after meeting with Rubinstein. "I am well-aware that the law entrusts me with immense responsibility. I plan to perform this role in a way that fully adheres to the law and reflects a commitment to the state's citizenry."
Peres then first met representatives of Netanyahu's 31-seat Likud-Beitenu party, the biggest group in the next 19th Knesset, and Yesh Atid, the new party led by tv host Yair Lapid which won a suprising second place with 19 seats.
Netanyahu is expected to try to partner Lapid's centrist party and the 12-seat nationalist religious Bayit Yehudi ("Jewish Home") faction. The three parties alone would control a narrow majority of 62 Knesset seats.
The President will make his announcement on Saturday evening.
The nominee will have an initial 28 days to form a coalition government and could seek a 14-day extension should further negotiations be needed.
The last government in 2009 was formed after 49 days.
According to The Jerusalem Post, it is believed that Netanyahu will attempt to quickly form a new government in order to attend the national policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the most influential Jewish group in the US, and to meet with President Barack Obama.
The opening session of the 19th Knesset will take place on February 5. The members, among them 53 new members, will declare their allegiance in the presence of President Peres.