The leaders of Israel’s political parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time in Jerusalem today since last week’s election. The country is mired in a political deadlock from results that do not show either side with a conclusive win. The opposition parties agreed to recommend former general Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to form the first coalition.
Israel’s president, who holds a largely ceremonial position, chooses which party will have the first attempt to build a majority coalition of 61 seats after the election. Results released by election officials on Friday showed Netanyahu’s bloc winning 53 seats in the 120-member assembly, well below the 68 seats it had controlled at its peak in the previous parliament. His main opposition won 48 seats and Arab-led parties secured the other 19.
