Israeli President Herzog officially invites former PM Benjamin Netanyahu to form new government

Benjamin Netanyahu (73) has been tasked with forming the next government after receiving the support of 64 Knesset members (Israeli Parliament), according to a statement from the Presidency.  

Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally invited former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the new government on Sunday, November 13, 2022. 

According to a statement from the Presidency, Netanyahu (73) has been assigned the task of forming the next government after receiving the support of 64 members of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament).

On Friday, President Herzog announced that he would ask Netanyahu to form a new government after consulting with leaders of all political parties elected to the 25th Knesset in the November 1 elections.

Following receiving the poll results from the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee last Wednesday, the Israeli President immediately began discussions with political party leaders.

Netanyahu has 28 days to form a government. If an extension is required, the President has the legal authority to grant a fourteen-day extension.

In addition to Netanyahu's Likud party, he has the backing of the right-wing bloc, including Shas, United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism, Jewish Power and Noam. Netanyahu's ruling party received 32 seats on the Knesset, while outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid received 24.

The far-right Religious Zionism party, which won 14 seats and became the third largest party, was the biggest surprise of the polls after the final count.

Shas and United Torah Judaism, Netanyahu's other likely coalition partners, won 11 and seven seats, bringing the bloc's total to 64.

The outcome of the election, the fifth in less than four years, brings an end to an unprecedented political impasse that began in 2019 when Netanyahu was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, all of which he denies.

(With inputs from PTI)