Consultations On Appointing New Prime Minister Kick Off in Israel

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin began consultations with the parties on the candidature of the country's next prime minister.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday began consultations with the parties that had surpassed electoral threshold on the candidature of the country's next prime minister, according to Israeli officials.

Earlier this week, Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party won the general election.

“We are waiting for the start of consultations with President Rivlin to recommend Benjamin Netanyahu for the Israeli prime minister post,” one of the Likud Party members, Zeev Elkin, wrote on his Facebook page.

публикация Zeev Elkin.

Following two days of consultations, Rivlin will choose the candidate to form the next government. Likud will be the first party to enter consultations, followed by the Zionist Union, its main rival, and the Joint Arab List.

Most Israeli media are confident that Netanyahu will be appointed for the post, for the fourth time in his career.

Last December, Netanyahu dissolved the government over disagreements with left-wing ministers, and called snap elections. He has said that the Likud-led coalition government would include right-wing parties, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beytenu and the centrist Kulanu parties.

Following the election, Zionist Union chief Isaac Herzog said the party would not enter a coalition with Likud, criticizing Netanyahu for hampering international attempts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, among other things.