Likud: Only Bibi can form government
Peres begins round of consultations with Knesset factions, Likud representatives urge president to task Netanyahu with forming coalition; earlier, Kadima's Mofaz says Livni-led government to unite nation
Likud representatives urged President Shimon Peres Wednesday evening to task Benjamin Netanyahu with forming Israel's next government.
"There is only one person who has a chance to form a government, and that's Benjamin Netanyahu," Knesset Member Gideon Sa'ar told Peres. "There is no mathematical possibility, even on paper, for Livni to form a government."
Likud MK Silvan Shalom, who also attended the meeting, told the president: "We came here with the sense that the people of Israel spoke out, and this statement was clear and unequivocal."
Likud says Netanyahu should be next PM (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Shalom urged Peres to task Netanyahu with forming the next coalition "in order to prevent needless waste of time and instability."
"To be honest, he is the only person with the chance to form a government," Shalom said.
Mofaz: Livni government to unite nation
However, earlier in the evening, Kadima's representatives told Peres that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni should be Israel's next prime minister.
The people's will must be respected, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a press conference Wednesday evening after recommending to President Peres that Kadima Chairwoman Livni be granted the right to form a governmental coalition.
"The people decided that Kadima would lead the next government," Mofaz said.
Following the meeting with Peres, Mofaz said that a "Livni-led government would unite the nation." During the meeting, Kadima representatives stressed that the next coalition should be a broad national unity government.
Kadima's team (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Kadima representatives – Mofaz, Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On and MK Tzachi Hanegbi – arrived at the presidential residence Wednesday evening in order to recommend that President Peres choose Kadima Chairwoman Livni to form the governing coalition.
"The fact that the president summoned Kadima first speaks for itself," Mofaz added. "In the face of the current challenges, the State of Israel needs a unity government. A national unity government headed by Kadima and by Tzipi Livni would be able to unite all sections of the nation…this is the wish of the people, and it cannot be ignored."
Earlier, members of the Central Elections Committee arrived at the presidential residence to deliver the formal results of the votes for Israel's 18th Knesset to Peres.
The president told members of the Committee that he is certain that a "blessed partnership will be formed," expressing his confidence that Israel's political leaders will have the welfare of the country before them as they establish a new coalition government.
