Netanyahu Is Chosen to Form Israel’s Next Government – The New York Times

It was the second time Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has been given the chance to form a government in five months. He won a plurality in the previous election in April but failed to assemble a majority coalition in its aftermath, leading to a repeat election this month.

Mr. Rivlin had been pushing Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz to forge a broad unity government including both their parties. The two parties met on Tuesday to discuss the possibility but failed to reach an agreement.

Each had agreed to the idea in principle, but on very different terms. Mr. Gantz said before the election that he would not join a government with Likud so long as its leader faced indictment, and that he wanted to form a broad, secular coalition, excluding ultra-Orthodox parties.

That left the hard-line nationalist party led by Avigdor Liberman, with eight seats, in the role of kingmaker. Mr. Liberman has advocated a unity government with Blue and White and Likud, but without Mr. Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners.

Mr. Netanyahu had pledged to stick with his former coalition partners in right-wing and religious parties.