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.
Some opposition members such as Yair Golan of The Democrats, argue that cooperating with Arab-majority parties (Ra’am and the Joint List) is necessary to reach a majority. Other figures like Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Naftali Bennett have historically campaigned or pledged against relying on them.