The Likud party on Wednesday, told President Issac Herzog that they back Benjamin Netanyahu to be the next prime minister.
The president began consultations with party leaders to hear from them who they would back as the next prime minister.
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President Issac Herzog in consultation with representatives of the Likud party
(Photo: Flash 90)
Netanyahu has a sure majority in the Knesset with up to 64 seats voting for his appointment.
By law, the president gives the candidate with the most parliamentary support, a mandate to form a government. He is expected to do so on Sunday.
In the meeting with the representatives of Likud, Herzog inquired about the party's agenda and was told by former minister Miri Regev that the main policies will be preserving Israel's Jewish identity, lowering the cost of living and personal security.
Following the meeting Regev said she hoped more parties would join their coalition. "We never boycotted anyone," she told reporters.
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Benjamin Netanyahu on his way to meet with ultra-Orthodox faction potential coalition partners ction
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky )
"We were boycotted and in past days I see a disturbing trend in a scare campaign that assumes we are here to destroy the county. After we form a government, it will represent not the right or the left, not Jews or Arabs, but every Israeli," she said.
The president later met with Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party representatives who told him they would not endorse Netanyahu and would be proudly head to the opposition.
The National Unity Party told the president that they will not back any candidate to head the new government.
Minister Pnina Tamano-Shate said her party was concerned for LGBTQ and minority rights that may be under threat by a right-wing government, but did not rule out cooperation with a Netanyahu led government on some issues.
The Shas party told President Issac Herzog on Wednesday that they would back Benjamin Netanyahu to be the next prime minister.
party representatives said they had consistently said they would support Netanyahu's bid.
Earlier in the day, the election results were certified by the Central Elections Committee which in a statement, insured voters the elections were conducted under strict supervision and the results represent the will of the people.