Netanyahu begins effort to form new coalition

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his bloc of right-wing parties on Tuesday to celebrate his victory in Monday’s election and begin the process of forming a new governing coalition.

Netanyahu said in his victory speech early Tuesday at Expo Tel Aviv that he would form a nationalist government. He did not rule out adding parties from the Center and Left, but the Likud crowd shouted at him not to form a national unity government with Blue and White.

Netanyahu’s spokesman Yonatan Urich told Army Radio on Tuesday morning that Likud officials had already spoken to four possible defectors from parties to the Left of Likud. But MKs suspected of being on that list issued denials.

“We have not been contacted, they will not contact us and they know why,” right-wing Blue and White MKs Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel wrote on Twitter.

Blue and White MK Omer Yankelevich, whose criticism of Blue and White leader Benny Gantz was revealed in a tape of Blue and White strategist Israel Bachar on Thursday, tweeted: “These are are all rumors. It won’t happen.”

Speaking to reporters outside his home in Rosh Ha’ayin, Gantz said cautioned against prejudging the outcome of the race before final votes are counted.

“Netanyahu does not have 61 votes to form a government,” he said. “We will consider our path. We respect the word of the voters. We were, are and will remain obligated to the fate of the State of Israel.”