Netanyahu expected to receive formal nod to remain PM Wednesday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to receive formal backing to remain premier for a fifth term Wednesday, but tough negotiations to form a coalition government await following last week's elections.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin must choose who will form the next government and is expected to pick Netanyahu to do so on Wednesday night after final election results are announced.

Rivlin's office said Tuesday he planned to meet with his choice for premier at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) Wednesday and both would speak publicly about an hour later.

Projections based on results so far have given Netanyahu's right-wing Likud the most seats at 36, one ahead of his main rivals from the Blue and White alliance led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz.

Together with allied right-wing and religious parties, Netanyahu is best placed to form a coalition with results showing they would control 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament.

Rivlin wrapped up consultations with political parties on Tuesday and a key politician threw his backing behind Netanyahu.

Former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman had held off on publicly backing Netanyahu until Monday night, when he did so before supporters.

His party, Yisrael Beitenu, also told Rivlin on Tuesday that it would back Netanyahu and its five seats will be crucial for the prime minister as he forms his next coalition.

But Lieberman also said he would condition his joining the coalition on the adoption of a law aimed at having ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in the military like their secular counterparts.

He has insisted that the version of the law he proposed when he was defence minister be adopted in full and says he will even remain in the opposition or be prepared to go to new elections if he does not receive assurances on the subject.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews studying in religious seminaries are currently exempt from mandatory military service, a practice many Israelis view as unfair.

But attempts to change the law have met with strong opposition from ultra-Orthodox political parties, which according to results so far would control 15 seats in the next governing coalition.

Ultra-Orthodox political leaders have warned they are not prepared to compromise over Lieberman's demands.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up some 10 per cent of Israel's nearly nine million population.

Complications in passing a law on the subject contributed to the holding of early elections last week.

Lieberman resigned as defence minister in November after accusing Netanyahu of being soft on Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip.