Israeli president accepts election results, begins coalition talks

Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted the certified results of last week's parliamentary elections as legally binding on Wednesday and began consultations with party representatives on forming a new government, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to discredit the vote. Netanyahu and his allies lost their parliamentary majority in the Oct. 27 election, while Arab-led parties made historic gains, prompting unsubstantiated claims of fraud and foreign interference. Israel's elections commission found no evidence of irregularities affecting results, though a Shin Bet intelligence assessment alleged foreign funds flowed into Israel without providing evidence. Herzog will likely choose between Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a coalition, with neither bloc securing a majority. If unsuccessful, new elections could occur early next year, while Herzog condemned racist expressions against Arab voters.