Israel President Begins Coalition Talks After Election Results Certified

Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted the certified results of last week's parliamentary elections as legally binding and began consultations on forming a new government, undermining Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's unsubstantiated claims of fraud. The move could bring Netanyahu's opponents to power after his bloc lost its Knesset majority. Herzog stated "the elections are over" and "time to face reality," while the elections commission found no evidence of irregularities affecting results. Netanyahu's Likud party did not comment, and a separate Shin Bet investigation into alleged foreign interference continues without provided evidence. The Oct. 27 vote left neither Netanyahu nor rival Gadi Eisenkot with a majority, potentially enabling an alliance between them or with Arab-led parties. Herzog will choose a candidate for coalition formation, with new elections possible if negotiations fail.