Israeli president to ask Benjamin Netanyahu to form new government

Benjamin Netanyahu is set to become Israel's prime minister for a record sixth time after President Isaac Herzog on Friday announced that he will invite the veteran Likud Party leader form the next government, a move likely to end the political impasse in the country.

President Herzog said that he will assign the task to form a new government to Netanyahu, 73, following consultations with leaders of all the political parties that have been elected to Parliament.

Israelis voted on November 1 for an unprecedented fifth time in four years to break the political impasse that has paralysed the Jewish nation.

Herzog will officially issue the mandate to Netanyahu on Sunday.

The leaders of the right-wing religious bloc, which includes the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties along with the far-right Religious Zionism party, have already said that they would be recommending Netanyahu's name for premiership.

Herzog held discussions with the political parties since Wednesday after he received the final poll results from the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee.

"In sum, 64 members of Knesset recommended to the President that he assign the task of forming a government to Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu MK (Member of Knesset). Twenty-eight MKs recommended Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid MK, and four factions, representing 28 members of Knesset, decided to abstain from making any recommendation," a statement from the Presidency said.

"Following the consultations, Office of the President Director-General Eyal Shviki phoned Benjamin Netanyahu MK's chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, and requested to invite Benjamin Netanyahu MK to receive from the President the role of forming a government on Sunday (13 November 2022)," it added.

Netanyahu will have to form the government in 28 days from the day he is handed over the mandate by the President. If an extension is required, the President has the legal authority to grant an extension of up to fourteen additional days.

Besides Netanyahu's Likud party, he received the backing of the right wing bloc including, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism, Jewish Power and Noam.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid's name was recommended by his Yesh Atid party and the Labour party.

National Unity, Yisrael Beitenu, United Arab List (Ra'am) and Hadash-Ta'al decided not to recommend any name to be tasked with the responsibility.

Israel's longest-serving leader, Netanyahu has won a record five elections to hold office five times - more than any other prime minister in the country's 74-year history.